Holbrook is gearing up for its favorite holiday events this week. Helping to prepare for the events are volunteer Jme Baloo (left) and Holbrook Community Development Director Kathleen Smith (right), who are decorating Gillespie Park and its resident dinosaur. The events start on Thursday, Dec. 3, with the Festival of Trees and will wrap up with the Parade of Lights and festival on Saturday, Dec. 5.
By Nolan Madden
It will be Merry and Bright on Saturday, Dec. 5, in Holbrook as the annual Parade of Lights Festival and Parade of Lights get underway. The Festival of Trees will kick off the festivities from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 3-5, at the Catholic Family Center, located at 214 E. Arizona Street. The festival features Christmas trees beautifully decorated and displayed by community members, churches, organizations and businesses, live music performances and fresh baked cookies. Decorated wreaths are being accepted for donation for silent auction during the festival. The silent auction will begin on Thursday and bidding will end on Saturday. Donations should be submitted at the Catholic Family Center. Proceeds will benefit the Holbrook Chamber of Commerce. Call 241-3311 for more information. The chamber will host the Parade of Lights Festival from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday at the Historic Navajo County Courthouse. It will feature activities for kids, live entertainment, and a variety of vendors selling merchandise and food. Visit Santa from 2 to 4 p.m. Call (928) 241-3311 for more information. The annual Parade of Lights, slated at 6 p.m. on Saturday, begins on Navajo Blvd. at Florida Street, travels south to Hopi Drive, where it continues west to 10th Avenue. Awards will be given for Best Overall Float, Most Christmas Spirit, Best Merry and Bright Theme, Most Creative and Most Elfin (Youth category, ages 17 and under). Entries as of Monday include the American Legion Color Guard, Arizona Public Service Co., Cinderella Girls, Creative Rhythms, Desierto de Colores Ballet Folklorico, First Baptist Church-Zumba Ministry, Girl Scouts, Holbrook High School Marching Band, Holbrook High School Swing Thing, High Desert BBQ, Holbrook Chamber of Commerce, Holbrook Head Start, Holbrook Lions Club, Holbrook United Methodist Church, Holbrook Volunteer Fire Department/Santa, Kiwanis & Holbrook High School Key Club, Navajo County Fair Junior Miss Royalty, Navajo County Government, Navajo County Hashknife Sheriff’s Posse, Northland Pioneer College, Peace Lutheran Church, Petrified Forest, Rt. 66 Gearheads, Scotty & Son Towing, Seventh-day Adventist School, Summit Healthcare Specialty Center, Sunflower Ranch and Travel Centers of America. This year’s parade lineup will be outlined in a printed program, with the aim of making it easier for spectators to identify parade vehicles by theme as they cast their votes. Additionally, the judging segment has been modified. Floats will now be judged at Gillespie Park through the course of the parade route. There is no fee to participate in the parade. Entry forms are available at Holbrook City Hall, located at 465 First Ave., and should be submitted by Friday, Dec. 4.
