The Festival of Lights Parade

Every year there's a big holiday parade that runs the length of Tejon Street downtown, usually on the first Saturday in December. It's called the Festival of Lights. Years ago I worked at a camera store called Shewmaker's located at 30 North Tejon, so of course every year we'd watch and photograph the parade as it went past -- and when we got too cold, we'd run back in the store and enjoy a nice cup of cocoa (or maybe a beer, depending on the boss' mood). I quit working there a long time ago, and in the intervening years I've taken in the parade once, maybe twice. Every year I make a resolution to go, then somehow I manage to talk myself out of it. Not this year, though. My friend Angie convinced me to go the the Festival of Lights with her, and along with thousands of other Colorado Springsians I stood on Tejon Street and shivered, cheered and waved as the parade passed by. Yes, it was cold! It was 21 degrees (-6 Celsius) and windy. But it was also very fun. I smiled the whole time! I took a few pictures for you. Here's a funny snowman sauntering down the street to the delight of the crowd. He seems to be enjoying himself immensely!