LIGHTS AND MORE
LIGHTS!
For more than a quarter of a
century, central Illinois residents
could line the streets of Peoria the
Friday morning after Thanksgiv-
ing for the annual Peoria Santa
Claus Parade, then do it again the
next night for the annual Festival
of Lights Parade in East Peoria.
No more.
Oh, the Festival of Lights
Parade will still occur for the 27th
consecutive year, but organizers
decided this year to move the
parade up a week, to Nov. 17, the
Saturday night before Thanksgiv-
ing. It starts at 5:45 p.m.
The Festival of Lights Parade is
one of the largest nighttime, illu-
minated parades in the country.
About 20 lighted floats traverse
the town, mixing traditional such
as old locomotives and sleighs
with futuristic such as the U.S.S.
Enterprise of Star Trek fame and
many themes in between, the pa-
rade with hundreds of thousands
of lights is only the start of big
holiday doings in East Peoria.
In fact, said Rick Swan, presi-
dent of the East Peoria Chamber
of Commerce, that’s the chief
reason the parade was moved up
a week.
“
We wanted to be able to get
things started a little earlier to
capitalize on those people who
come to the area for the Thanks-
giving holiday. By moving the
parade up a week we can start
Winter Wonderland on Thanks-
giving night,” Swan said.
Folepi’s Winter Wonderland,
which has become enormously
popular, will open Nov. 22,
Thanksgiving Day, at 5 p.m. It
will remain open until 9 p.m.
Sunday through Thursday and
until 11 p.m. on Friday and Sat-
urday. The last night will be Dec.
31.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
15
thePeorian.com
The Present
A lighted float depicting the famous Budweiser Clydesdales is always one of the favorites of the annual Festival of
Lights Parade in East Peoria. This year the parade has been moved up to Nov. 17, the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
