SOLEDAD — Soledad’s second Christmas parade this year, hosted by the group Front Street, takes place Friday starting at 6 p.m.
Tonight’s event, called Christmas Parade of Lights, is in addition to the annual parade hosted by the Soledad Chamber of Commerce on Dec. 5.
Front Street organizer Maria Ruiz-Corralejo said the group had originally been part of the Christmas parade planning committee, but they determined two separate events were in the community’s best interests.
“Our Christmas Parade of Lights will be at 6 p.m., and this later time allows the participants to show their creativity through colorful lights,” Ruiz-Corralejo said.
The focus for the Dec. 18 parade will be to keep things light and fun, in order for the community, especially children, to have a needed distraction and a reason to get out of their homes.
“There’s nothing like seeing a parade through a child’s eyes,” Ruiz-Corralejo said. “At Front Street, we strongly believe that these events bring our community together and create memories, camaraderie and friendships, which trickles to our everyday quality of life in Soledad.”
Front Street planners adapted plans from their earlier Spook Fest to suit a Christmas event. Ruiz-Corralejo said the group has coordinated with Soledad Police Department and has been in contact with the county to ensure safety guidelines are met.
Attendees are asked to maintain social distancing and wear masks. The parade route was chosen specifically to allow for open spaces where groups could watch while maintaining 6 feet apart from each other.
No registration is required for participants, as festive vehicles can show up at the California Gourmet Pizza staging area at 5:30 p.m.
“We are really excited about this parade,” Ruiz-Corralejo said. “We are getting messages from businesses and residents alike.”
The parade route begins at the pizza parking lot and will travel along West Street to Gabilan Drive, then to Orchard Lane, Metz Road, North Street and finally to Main Street, ending at the Soledad Police Department.
Due to current health guidelines, however, the post-parade celebration will not take place, Ruiz-Corralejo said.
