Anthony Padilla, left, and Erico Quintana of the Downtown Action Team of Espa帽ola fill a cauldron with firewood ahead of the 27th annual Electric Light Parade & Christmas on the Plaza on Saturday in Espa帽ola.
Annalyn Garcia, from left, Adma Retes, Alfredo Morales and Carlo Cala of the Filipino Community Choir warm up before performing Saturday at the 27th annual Electric Light Parade & Christmas on the Plaza in Espa帽ola.
Anthony Padilla, left, and Erico Quintana of the Downtown Action Team of Espa帽ola fill a cauldron with firewood ahead of the 27th annual Electric Light Parade & Christmas on the Plaza on Saturday in Espa帽ola.
Annalyn Garcia, from left, Adma Retes, Alfredo Morales and Carlo Cala of the Filipino Community Choir warm up before performing Saturday at the 27th annual Electric Light Parade & Christmas on the Plaza in Espa帽ola.
ESPA脩OLA聽鈥 Families piled under blankets and hung out windows and trunks of cars and cheered on dozens of floats Saturday night at Espa帽ola鈥檚 27th annual Electric Light Parade.
Organizers expected 20,000 people to turn out along 3-mile route for the parade, which has begun to attract people from across Northern New Mexico as its reputation has grown, said Christine Bustos, chair of the Downtown Action Team of Espa帽ola.
Before sundown, families gathered in the Plaza de Espa帽ola to drink hot chocolate, warm up in front of luminarias and watch 疯客直播 Claus arrive by helicopter.
Kids lined the block to tell 疯客直播, in the Misi贸n y Convento, their holiday wishes 鈥 everything from a Barbie dollhouse to a new iPhone 15.
Jacquelyn Sherwood, a mother in line with her kids, also planned to ask 疯客直播 for help paying the bills.
Sherwood, who lives in Espa帽ola, echoed others in saying the city has seen difficult times in 2023 but the holidays are a time to be thankful.
鈥淚鈥檓 glad we could be here together as a family because tomorrow鈥檚 not certain,鈥 she said.
Sandra and Mike Urioste, who came to the parade from Arroyo Seco, said their two kids have already put a list of their Christmas wishes in each of their stockings.
鈥淭he elf on the shelf got them and took them, so we鈥檒l see what they get,鈥 Sandra Urioste said.
For adults, the best part of the holidays is spiked eggnog, her husband joked.
鈥淣o, getting together with family, that鈥檚 the whole point,鈥 Mike Urioste added.
This year鈥檚 floats 鈥 which had the theme of 鈥淢erry ChrisMoose,鈥 in honor of Marty Moose 鈥 did not disappoint. The bull moose has become a local legend after he wandered south from near the Colorado border to 疯客直播 Fe. Although wildlife officials moved him in September, the moose was spotted last month south of Espa帽ola again.
Bustos, who has chaired the small group that works with the city to organize the festivities for 25 of the parade鈥檚 27 years, said themes have 鈥渞un the gamut鈥 over the years, and she landed on Marty Moose because he brought good news coverage to Espa帽ola when he stayed around the city for a few weeks this fall.
鈥淚鈥檓 not surprised that it鈥檚 Merry ChrisMoose given all the excitement about him coming through Espa帽ola,鈥 said John Burman with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The organization鈥檚 float from Abiqui煤 Lake sported a wire moose standing at the bow of a boat decked out in lights.
The city of Espa帽ola鈥檚 float resembled a truck-size head of Marty Moose, with two long ears of lights bobbing on either side.
Seeing what everyone brings to the table is the best part of the parade, said Noah Vogel, preparing to play music on the parade route with his three-member band from Chimay贸.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really how we come together as a community,鈥 he said.
