In 2020 and 2021, the Santa Maria Parade of Lights was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, organizers called off the event due to rain.
But after a three-year hiatus, the annual holiday spectacle will once again cruise down Broadway.
“The Christmas Parade is my favorite time because of the energy that goes into it — the kids who are out there performing and the lights that are on all of the floats,” said Ed Carcarey, one of the coordinators of the event.
He says this year, more than 100 floats will be included in the parade, one of them being Destiny Trigueros and her team at Servpro.
“I have some of my guys getting lights, getting stuff prepped. We actually had someone just wash this [truck]. We are thinking of decorating it as a giant present,” she told KSBY.
Last year, rain concerns kept the Parade of Lights from brightening up Santa Maria. Following back-to-back-to-back years of cancellations, Carcarey says this year, the weather will not stop them.
“Even if there is rain in the forecast, the parade is rain or shine now,” he said. “We changed it from last year so we don’t get into that trouble. We are going to do ‘rain or shine’ from now, going forward.”
Trigueros says Servpro has been in business locally for 30+ years, but Saturday will mark their first time in the parade.
She says after years of the pandemic, along with the devastating storms last winter, her team is amped up to join the community as they stroll down Broadway.
“Finally, for once, where there isn’t any rain or there isn’t COVID to stop us, we are just so honored because we are finally going to be able to, as a Servpro family, come together and go with the community and be a family as well,” Trigueros added.
Carcarey says he expects more than 20,000 people will be in attendance for the parade that starts at 5:20 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of Broadway and Stowell Rd.
From 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., Broadway will be closed to traffic from Enos Drive north to Main Street.
Stowell Rd. from Broadway to Depot St. will be closed starting at 3 p.m. to allow parade entrants to queue up and make final preparations.
The Parade of Lights is presented by the Rotary Clubs of Santa Maria and Nipomo.
