18th Annual Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade

Slated for Dec. 5 in Downtown

Contact: Amy Blaisdell

Communications Director

City of Palm Springs

(760) 323-8250

Nov. 12, 2009

Come celebrate the holidays in Palm Springs! An estimated 80,000 people are expected to descend on downtown -- for the much loved Festival of Lights Parade, the City's signature holiday event slated for Dec. 5 along Palm Canyon Drive.

The 18th annual parade, a Palm Springs holiday tradition featuring amazing colored floats and Santa Claus -- will kick off at 5:45 p.m. at Ramon Road and head north on Palm Canyon to Tamarisk Road. The parade will also feature a host of high school and middle school bands as well as Mayor Steve Pougnet and the Palm Springs City Council along with Miss Festival of Lights and her court.

For the third year in a row, colored holiday lights will be permitted on floats and other parade entries -- the plethora of brightly colored lights have been a huge success with parade-goers.

Last month, Julia Peterson, 18, of Cathedral City, was chosen as Miss Festival of Lights. She will also represent Palm Springs in next year's Miss California International Contest. Her court consists of Stephanie Salcedo, 19, of Indio, and April Nichols, 18, of Palm Springs. Additionally, seven-year-old Megan Hanson, of Cathedral City, was chosen as the parade's Lil' Miss Festival of Lights.

“I encourage everyone in the Coachella Valley to bring their families to downtown Palm Springs on Dec. 5 for the City's magnificent Festival of Lights Parade,” said Mayor Steve Pougnet. “When it comes to holiday spirit, no other event in the Coachella Valley can beat this truly spectacular parade.”