Another year, another successful Parade of Lights in the books

The streets of Cortez were bustling well before 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, the scheduled start time of the 34th annual Parade of Lights in Cortez.

A booth passed out hot cocoa and samples of mulled wine, people wore light up necklaces and even the dogs were dressed up, bundled in sweaters.

Sounds of a helicopter overhead added to the excitement in the air, and people eagerly looked above as it flew west on Main Street and prepared to land.

“Santa!” children shrieked.

“Where’s Rudolph?” one questioned.

The man in red made yet another grand entrance this year, via helicopter, to start the parade on a rather jolly note.

As he cruised by on an old Cortez Volunteer Fire Department truck – the first of many Santa sightings of the evening – children screamed "Santa“ in the same way I imagine young girls called to the Beatles at their shows in the sixties.

A few kids The Journal spoke with agreed that Santa was their favorite part.

Others, who were a few feet taller, felt the sense of community was most notable.

“The level of community involvement is astounding in this small town,” said Adam Tess, a community member who had just experienced his very first Parade of Lights.

“There was the Grinch and many Santas... how could you not feel part of something bigger?” Tess laughed.

Carolyn and Jason Witt, two members of the Four Corners Board of Realtors, the group that sponsors the parade, said the whole reason they put it on is to give back to the community.

“It’s an annual opportunity for families to get out and enjoy,” said Carolyn. “These types of things build community and helps bring people here.”

“What’s better than to be here at Christmas and involve the community,” Jason added.

“Events like this bring everyone together; they put everything aside and enjoy this moment,” Carolyn said.

This year, there were 63 entries, down from 78 last year.

Floats were flashing with lights, both the Christmas kind and the emergency response vehicle kind.

Wheels were covered to look like giant peppermints, and one car had even swapped out its windshield wipers for candy canes.

“It was wonderful,” said Andrew Forsyth, a seventh grade student who had walked in the parade playing his clarinet with his sister Nathaniel, a sixth grader.

“The whole thing was my favorite,” Andrew said.

Plus, the walking kept them warm, he said.

Another community member named Jarod Whitecotton had walked in the parade with his decorated remote control cars.

“I’m addicted to remote control cars,” Whitecotton said with a laugh.

It wasn’t his first Parade of Lights, and he does it because people seem to love it.

“All the kids- just everyone we go by, they’re screaming and yelling,” said Whitecotton. “And my two daughters love it; kids are just super into it.”

Though the remote control cars were no Santa, they were certainly a hit with the kids.

Mid-parade, The Journal was able to ask one of the many Grinches – this one was on a four wheeler – whether he was here to steal Christmas.

He shook his head yes, and said, “and kids,” and rode off into the night.

The rest of the parade passed on by, with holiday music and Merry Christmas wishes, too. There were tractors and light up reindeer and a real live horse with an angel figure standing on its back. Even Arby’s had a float.

“For me, it felt a lot shorter this year,” said Maddisyn Morris, one of the judges. “There were a lot more extravagant floats this year, though.”

“I only gave out three 5’s,” said Jerry Sam, another judge.

“Tough critic!” joked Michelle Morris, a co-chairperson who helped organize the parade.

“It’s really fun to see the little kids out with their families,” said Joyce Humiston, a judge.

“People from everywhere come out, from Mancos and Dolores too,” Maddisyn said.

“And their Christmas outfits are great. There was a whole family dressed as Santa,” Michelle said.

Judges were meant to judge on lights, of course, and the parade’s theme, which was The Gift of Christmas this year.

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The judges wanted to note an honorable mention to the Dolores Southern Baptist Church Float, and the Four Corners Board of Realtors gives out small cash prizes to each of the winners.