Floats light up night

PORTALES - Family, fun, old Saint Nick himself - what more do you need to have a good time?

Not much, if you ask any of the Portales residents attending the city's 31st annual Christmas Light Parade.

Over 40 floats traveled a route from the Portales Recreation Center to the downtown square, delighting residents new and old.

Shonta Ayers, a new arrival to the city, attended the parade to get a feel for what Portales has to offer.

Ayers had a good feeling about Portales, based on "how nice it looks down here and the amount of people that are here."

Shonta Ayers' 10-year-old daughter Jayla Ayers was most excited to see the spectacle of the parade in the company of her family.

"You get to have fun and spend time with your family," she said of why she enjoyed the event.

Hannah Jennings, 10, attending the parade with her brother Andrew Jennings, 7, and mother Crissie Jennings, liked the parade because "we get to see a lot of cool stuff, and we get to see a lot of decorations."

This year marked the family's first time at the parade, and Andrew Jennings was looking forward to seeing fire trucks, horses, and police officers.

This wasn't Carol Payne's first time at the event, however; attending, she said, is something of a tradition.

"There's nothing else to do tonight. That, and my granddaughter is singing in the choir in a little bit," she said, adding that community support is instrumental in keeping events like the parade running.

"If we didn't support them, no one would. Then there'd be no point in having it."

Another veteran of the parade, Jennifer Sutton, came with her son Caleb Sutton and "all my nieces and nephews."

Jennifer Sutton shares the opinion that events like the parade are worth keeping.

"It gives a sense of community, a sense of belonging; that Christmas spirit, getting everybody excited. I love seeing the kids' faces, especially when they first see Santa. It's so much fun."