Light parade draws thousands

Similar to the Fourth of July parade, the annual Santa’s Electric Light Parade is pure holiday Americana, and last Saturday’s parade through downtown Boulder City was no exception as 105 entries filled the streets, making it one of the biggest ever.

Boulder City Chamber of Commerce CEO Jill Rowland Lagan, whose organization sponsors the event, said it was reported that this year’s attendance was the most ever in the parade’s 55-year history.

“For those businesses along the parade route that opted to remain open for the evening events this past weekend, I know they saw quite a bit of foot traffic along their storefront,” she said. “Events in Boulder City are like mini population explosions that last just a short while, but we hope are beneficial to our business core.”

This year’s grand marshals were Bret and Priscilla Runion, who were driven by their longtime friend, Ed Cave, and his girlfriend, Sara Donmoyer, in Cave’s new electric Humvee.

“Of the many Christmas parades that we have been a part of, this was definitely an experience like no other,” Bret Runion said. “We absolutely loved it. It was a reminder of how fantastic our community is, as we passed through the thousands of cheerful spectators and saw so many friends along the way.”

He praised the efforts of the chamber for the continued work it does to ensure the parade is a success. He also said having many of his Desert Sun Realty staff right behind them as the next entry in the parade was “perfect.”

The year’s parade winners included the following:

Decorated float (business): Paradise Ranch Foundation

Decorated float (organization): Super Summer Theatre at Spring Mountain Ranch

Decorated float (political): Boulder City Republican Women

Decorated float (religious): BC Home Church

Equestrian: Boulder City HS/JH Rodeo Team

Special interest Car: Dick Blair Realty

Special interest car (classic): BK Kustoms

Special interest car (commercial vehicle): Miss Nevada Scholarship Organization

Special interest car (specialty): Pinkbox Doughnuts

Special interest cars (motorized): Vintage Friends and Family with Vintage Volkswagens

Special interest cars (motorcycles/scooters group): Slingshots of Las Vegas Group

Walking group (dance/drill): Dance Etc.

Walking group: Grace Christian Academy

Walking group (youth): The Wild Kids