Santa Claus arrived in Denver this past weekend at the 43rd annual Parade of Lights extravaganza, which parades past excited spectators for two miles in Denver, Colorado. My daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter attended the parade and had a wonderful time. They are allowing me to use all their cell phone photos and videos to share with you on my blog this week. I hope you will enjoy them!
They had grandstand seats, across from the Denver City and County building. This facebook video on my Mille Fiori Facebook page above shows how the parade begins with the spectacular lighting of the building!
I've blogged about the wonderful way Denver lights up many of it's building for Christmas in this blog post and also this post and this one.
The Denver City and County building lights up with over 600,000 permanently installed, energy saving, LED lights and includes a beautiful lighted nativity scene in front.
My daughter and family are in the upper left of this collage enjoying the different marching bands and parade dignitaries that were passing by in the stagecoach.
There were many ornate floats in the parade, including a living nativity scene...
...a gingerbread house, and a dancing Chinese dragon!
This Mille Fiori Favoriti Facebook video shows the Air Force Academy Cadet Honor Guard that was marching in the parade.
There were also giant balloons in the parade, such as Frosty the Snowman, a Snow Tiger, and the Gift of Life Balloon.
There was a new float this year of a beautiful glowing ice castle made by the Independent Electrical Contractors Rocky Mountains.
Even the America Flag was glowing in the Parade of Lights!
In this Mille Fiori Favoriti Facebook Page video, we can see the arrival of Santa Claus at the end of the hour-long parade!
As you can see my granddaughter was so excited to be at the parade that she stood by the barricade for almost the entire time and enjoyed it very much! It was one of the highlights of the Christmas season, so far, for her.
Held since 1975, the Parade of Lights parade is sponsored each year by businesses and is free for spectators, with a fee-only for those wishing to have elevated grandstand seats.
More holiday happenings can be seen on my MilleFioriFavoriti Instagram page--please follow along to see more!
Hi Pat, we watched the Parade of Lights many years ago with the 3 oldest grands. It was a frigid night, but the kids were mesmerized. I think it was not as cold this year. Julia looks like she’s loving the action.
ReplyDeleteOh, PAT!!!!! Thank you so much! this was exciting and so spectacular!!
ReplyDeleteI loved every photo and enjoyed 'being there' through you!
Looks like a lot of bright lights!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a beautiful light parade - so much to enjoy! Children are magically attracted to light:) And great you could share it with your family! Many thanks for showing some of the floats for All Seasons - yes, the mot wonderful season of the year! Enjoy your December week!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment - I will enjoy trimming the tree - hopefully this week:)
Spectacular colours of the lights on the building Pat. What a wonderful display
ReplyDeleteVery cool! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete...now this helps to get me into the spirit. Thanks for sharing all of this color!
ReplyDeleteA happy Mosaic Monday to you. Thanks for all the lovely pics
ReplyDeletemuch love...
What a colourful parade! Thank you for posting. Have a nice week.
ReplyDeleteWow! Wow! Wow! Such great memories for your grands, Pat!! Just beautiful! blessings ~ tanna
ReplyDeleteYour granddaughter is adorable!
ReplyDeleteFabulous photos of the parade -- I tried to get a few pics of one this weekend and didn't fare nearly so well with all the people. Wonderful reporting! It's such fun, a good Christmas parade!
Wow what a fabulous parade. I love all the colors of the lights on the buildings. Yea for your granddaughter being so engaged in watching the parade. Kids just make Christmas more special.
ReplyDeleteHello Pat, the Christmas parade looks like a fun event for the family. Your granddaughter is so cute, I am sure she enjoyed the parade too. I love the lights at night, they look so pretty. Enjoy your day and week ahead.
ReplyDeleteLovely event and your sweet granddaughter is the perfect age for a parade! (And for the whole Holiday Season really)... thanks for sharing the joy through the eyes of a child! We can all use a regular dose of that.
ReplyDeleteI love Christmas lights and parades - wonderful family fun!
ReplyDeletePat, now that's a parade. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI graduated from East High in Denver many years ago, so it's good to see the City and County Building lit for the holidays--all the way to the end of the National Western Stock Show in January!
ReplyDeleteSo colorful and cheery!
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2017/12/the-explorer.html
That is spectacular! How fantastic!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful way to begin the holidays!
ReplyDeleteThey will want to make this a tradition, won't they? How fabulous! Did Santa throw candy, I wonder? We'll go to our golf cart parade...just a bit smaller! heehee! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteNothing like a parade to bring out the child in all of us - and this one takes the cake. Lights, ice sculpture, a living Nativity, Santa ... a glorious spectacle! Your photographs and videos took me there!
ReplyDeletePat, this looked like a marvelous parade. How special for the children to see this. You little granddaughter is growing up. She is adorable!
ReplyDeleteHow incredible! Good job that Denver's electricity companies kept up with the peak in demand! I love the way buildings are lit up these days they are such a beautiful backdrop. What fun!
ReplyDeleteWren x
Wow - what a festival of lights!
ReplyDeleteA spectacular parade! Best of all is the little face with the huge smile at the end.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing parade, I've never seen anything like that myself and don't expect I ever shall. Your little granddaughter looks so happy and her parents do too. What a great family tradition this is.
ReplyDeleteNothing sets the mood for Christmas quite like the lights of an evening parade. Have a blessed day.
ReplyDeleteThat is so very beautiful. What great pics. Thanks for sharing them.
ReplyDeleteSo much fun! Loved seeing the nativity scene! I think Bend and Redmond have some activities I will want to do this year.
ReplyDeleteI grew up and lived in Colorado [just northwest of Denver] for nearly 50 years. I so remember this...and I'm glad I stopped by from Our World Tuesday and didn't miss this 'home coming'.
ReplyDeleteOh Wow! What a colorful event and great photos ~ Your grand daughter is the best photo and what a cutie!
ReplyDeleteHappy Week to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Looks fun.
ReplyDeleteWhat awesome parade. My son used to live in Littleton, Co. and was so beautiful there. The fish my great grand son caught was a bass.
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos and a very fun time! I like that shot of your granddaughter.
ReplyDeleteSo festive and colorful. Your little granddaughter is such a cutie! Love her smile.
ReplyDeleteThat looks like fun. We have a similar parade here in the Springs but I never seem to make it.
ReplyDeleteOh my that looks like you had so much fun Pat. I am really looking forward to the parades here in the US. They are so much more of everything.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! I think I might want to come to Denver one year just to watch this in person!! A local town hosts a light parade but all of the floats are made by local businesses and are NOTHING like the amazing floats seen here. I love that all the businesses light up too; so festive!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a spectacular and exciting parade of lights! Thanks for sharing this. There are no signs of Christmas where I live... sigh
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this wonderful post.
ReplyDeleteI felt I was there!
Spectacular.
All the best Jan