Lamar Turns Out for Parade of Lights

This past Saturday evening, December 11^th, was a good night for the annual Lamar Chamber of Commerce Parade of Lights. It was chilly, right at the freezing point, but fortunately the night was calm, no wind chills to deal with.

Parade of Lights, 2020

The fact that all the observers this year were in their cars along the new parade route helped keep everybody warm.

Parade of Lights, 2020

Because of pandemic precautions, the Lamar Chamber and Lamar Police Chief, Kyle Miller, came up with a longer route that stayed off Main Street again. The Parade of Lights hasn’t taken that route for the past four years.

Santa, Parade of Lights, 2020

There was no central theme this year and no prizes were handed out for best float entries, but that didn’t deter the crowds that stretched from the starting point at the Lamar Municipal Pool, north to Maple Street along Second Street, crossing Main Street to 6^th and then south again to Cedar, to 9^th and onto Savage Avenue and onto Highway 287 and the pool once again.

Parade of Lights, 2020

Chamber office manager, Val Baldwin, said about 15 to 18 floats had registered for this year, but a number of last minute entries arrived which put the total in the neighborhood of two dozen floats or more. No one was walking in the parade, but Santa did bring up the rear, atop a convertible so he could wave to the crowds.

Lots of cheers, lots of horn honking and a lot of holiday wishes were expressed along the route.

By Russ Baldwin