Those interested in participating in the 35th Four Corners Board of Realtors Parade of Lights can now fill out an entry form and start brainstorming float ideas, because it’s right around the corner.
Forms are due Nov. 30, as the parade will start on Cortez’s Main Street at 6 p.m. on Dec. 7.
Pick up or turn in entry forms to any real estate office in Cortez. Or, email fcborparadeoflights@gmail.com with form-related inquiries.
Each year, there’s a new theme for the parade, which reflects both a greater lesson and the community member chosen as grand marshal.
This year, the theme is The Gift of Christmas.
Terry McCabe, a longtime organizer of the event who retired last year and was chosen as this year’s Grand Marshal, inspired the theme.
Since 2008, McCabe has been integral in making the parade happen. She’s also helped grow the parade to what it is today – the community event that kicks off the holiday season.
“Terry has given so many years to the parade and to the community,” said Trista Heaton, a co-chairperson helping organize the event. “In a lot of ways, I feel like it has been her gift to the community.”
McCabe recalled how 35 years ago, the parade was a modest display of four or five floats driving down Main Street.
“That’s all there was,” McCabe said.
Back in the day, to get the word out, they’d advertise with hand-drawn posters and KRTZ, the old local radio station, McCabe said.
With time, they’ve garnered more community support and awareness.
There’s now printed posters hung in local storefronts to get the word out, and it’s worked: Last year, there were over 70 entries.
“And those were just the numbered floats,” Heaton said.
Many more showed up the day of the parade or entered after entry forms were due – they just weren’t given a number to then be judged.
Michelle Morris, the other co-chairperson organizing the parade, said the judges are reminded to grade floats based on how they adhere to the theme and, of course, their light display.
“And creativity, and music, too,” McCabe added.
This year, to go with the “historical” features of the parade and its celebration of 35 years, Morris said the panel of judges will be those who have judged before, from years past.
And, like years past, there will be three categories: commercial, nonprofit and other, which is composed of individuals and things like school groups and organizations.
Within each category, judges will decide a first-, second- and third-place winners, who are then awarded a cash prize of $250, $150 and $100, respectively.
Such prizes, like the parade itself, is made possible by the Four Corners Board of Realtors.
“We realize the prize money isn’t that much, but we think truly people do it not because of the prize money. They do it because they want to be part of it,” Morris said.
Businesses are also happy to be part of the event.
“There’s three days of the year that are their biggest days, and the Parade of Lights is one of them,” McCabe said.
And so they eagerly offer signatures required to make the parade happen downtown, because “It’s not Main Street Cortez, it’s Highway 160 curb to curb,” McCabe said.
There are no fees to enter the parade.
To be enrolled properly and considered for cash prizes, be sure to turn in entry forms by Nov. 30.
And, as a reminder and in response to a tragedy on the Front Range, they kindly ask folks in the parade to not throw candy but to pass it out instead.
“We’re ready for our 35th year,” said Heaton. “We hope we get 90 entries.”
