Turlock Christmas Parade Draws Thousands Downtown

Turlock Downtown Main Street Christmas Lights on Parade 2008

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

1^ST place – First Pentecostal Church of God

MAJORETTE SOLO/GROUP

1^st place – Graffiti Sweeties

THEMED ENTRY

1^st place – Our Lady of Assumption

2^nd place – Noah and Friends

3^rd place – Suze’s Little Crew

YOUTH GROUP

1^st place – Scout Pack 451

2^nd place – Chatom 4-H

3^rd place – Mountain View 4-H

COMMERCIAL ENTRY

1^st place – Century 21 M&M Associates

2^nd place – P & F Metals

3^rd place – District 6 Dairy Princess

ANTIQUE VEHICLE

1^st place – Turlock Historical Society

2^nd place – Turlock Fire Inc.

3^rd place – Casule Farm Antique

UNIQUE ENTRY

1^st place – City of Turlock Public Maintenance

2^nd place – Backstage Dance

3^rd 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.