Every since the Turlock Christmas Parade moved from the long time traditional Saturday mornings, thousands more people have come out for the Friday night Lights on Parade.Before the parade even began, people came out for the unveiling of the John Mitchell statue in Central Park at 5pm. The Turlock Downtown Holiday Faire also brought people out early to shop the downtown businesses, enjoy street vendors, hear live music, take pictures with Santa, and go for a carriage ride. Coldwell Banker Endsley & Associates was even a host to a Gingerbread House Fundraiser for Verda’s House, a children’s crisis center here in Turlock.
An estimated 12,000 people came out in the 50 degree temperature to thickly line Main Street and Broadway Avenue where it turned to finish at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds.By then end of the parade, involving some 68 entries, temperatures dropped down to 41 degrees. There was plenty of coffee, hot chocolate, food, and fun to keep many people downtown until after 9pm.
PARADE WINNERS:
BEST OVERALL USE OF LIGHTS
1ST place – First Pentecostal Church of God
MAJORETTE SOLO/GROUP
1st place – Graffiti Sweeties
THEMED ENTRY
1st place – Our Lady of Assumption
2nd place – Noah and Friends
3rd place – Suze’s Little Crew
YOUTH GROUP1st place – Scout Pack 451
2nd place – Chatom 4-H
3rd place – Mountain View 4-H
COMMERCIAL ENTRY
1st place – Century 21 M&M Associates
2nd place – P & F Metals
3rd place – District 6 Dairy Princess
ANTIQUE VEHICLE
1st place – Turlock Historical Society
2nd place – Turlock Fire Inc.
3rd place – Casule Farm Antique
UNIQUE ENTRY
1st place – City of Turlock Public Maintenance
2nd place – Backstage Dance
3rd place – The Professor
Visit the TurlockCityNews.com Photo Gallery to view pictures of all the entries and downtown festivities. You must be a registered user and logged in (bottom left hand menu) to even see the “Photo Gallery” link under the “Entertainment” drop down menu on the top of the page.