Main Street getting set for Christmas parade

CLOVIS — Main Street will come alive with the Christmas spirit today for the annual Clovis Christmas Lights parade as well as a host of other holiday activities.

The parade itself will kick off with the lighting of the community Christmas tree located in front of the Curry County Courthouse at 6 p.m., but the festivities start even earlier.

Clovis MainStreet Executive Director Lisa Pellegrino-Spear said over 25 downtown businesses will open at 10 a.m. for a day of open houses and event specials. The businesses will open back up after the parade for another hour from 7 to 8 p.m.

There will also be multiple chances for kids to interact with Santa Claus today. From 2 to 4 p.m. Santa will be at the site of the historic railroad park located at 1st and Connelly, where kids will have chance to take a picture with Santa.

Then at 4 p.m. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be conducting a live reading of The Polar Express at Clovis-Carver Public Library to go along with the theme of this year’s parade, Clovis Christmas Express, in honor of the city’s historic railroad.

The book reading will be followed by hot cookies and cocoa, and there will also be live music at the library beforehand from 3 to 4 p.m.

Pellegrino-Spear said the extra events were added around the parade this year in order to provide citizens with a full day of activities.

“We just wanted to make it a day of holiday festivities for everyone in the community to come out and enjoy Main Street on a beautiful day,” Pellegrino-Spear said.

Clovis MainStreet was still accepting late entries on Friday afternoon but Pellegrino-Spear said over 50 groups had already signed up for a float in the parade, which will begin at 14th and Main as floats travel down Main Street, ending at 2nd and Main.

Pellegrino-Spear said donations for the parade are appreciated and can be made at clovismainstreet.org.