The temperature dipped into the high 30’s when the sun went down, but that didn’t stop thousands from coming out to the Prescott Valley Festival of Lights and Night Light Parade on Friday, November 30th. Clutching a cup of hot chocolate made by The Girl Scouts, individuals welcomed the holiday season in Prescott Valley as the Civic Center lit up the night sky with thousands of Christmas lights sprawled across the building and surrounding trees.
“It wouldn’t feel like Christmas if it wasn’t chilly right,” asked Prescott Valley Councilmember Marty Grossman. “We don’t have any of the white stuff, but you know, at least we got the cold weather.”
Grossman wasn’t sure how many individual lights or strands of lights are featured in the impressive display but says it is definitely a large number.
“The lighting looks absolutely incredible, I mean, every year I keep saying that but every year it gets better and better and brighter and brighter,” Grossman said. “I will put this display up against any city and town in Arizona or anywhere in the country.”
“Our town employees take a lot of pride in doing this,” Grossman continued, stating town employees hang all the lights. “The community, of course, shows it back by showing up and attending all these events.”
In addition to the Civic Center lighting, the sizeable crowd was entertained with carols from local school children, a speech by retiring Mayor Harvey Skoog and the annual light parade.
Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce CEO Marnie Uhl also did her traditional reading of “The Night Before Christmas” to a group of surrounding youngsters who closely listened to every word of the story. Uhl was pleased to see the response from the community.
“It’s so important that our people enjoy what our town offers, Uhl said. “This is their home and their place to support and be a part of it. The kids out here, the families, it’s amazing.
“There’s so much going on everywhere, but this is what we do to kick off the season and it’s so nice to see everybody come out for it,” Uhl continued.
Grossman echoed Uhl and says hosting events like these are important to a community.
“It makes everybody get up and get out and it really feels like the Christmas season,” Grossman said. “It’s events like this that make us a community. If we didn’t have stuff like this, everybody would be stuck in the house and there’d be nothing to do.”
PARADE WINNERS
On Saturday, December 1st, the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce, who hosts the event, announced the parade winners.
School
1st. Humboldt Elementary
2nd Coyote Springs
Civic/Church
1st. Desert Valley Girl Scouts
2nd. AARF Animal Rescue
Musical
1st Bradshaw Mountain Marching Bears
2nd Bradshaw Mountain Middle School
Independent Business
1st B&M Quality Landscaping
2nd Lonesome Valley Brewing
Corporate Business
1st Findlay Subaru Prescott
2nd Walmart
Chamber Holiday Award
1st Yavapai Plumbing and Heating/Yavapai Mechanical
2nd Neumann High Country Doors
Photo Gallery by Torrence Dunham / Signals
___
Follow Signals on Facebook to get the latest local events and updates: Facebook.com/SignalsAZ
Subscribe to the Signals Newsletter, events, entertainment, info & news right to your inbox! SUBSCRIBE
Leave a Reply