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Parade of Lights to return bigger than ever

Scott Swanson

Sweet Home residents will once again get to watch a Parade of Lights, at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, but they’ve got twice the space to do it.

That’s because the length of the parade has been doubled this year to match the route used by the Sportman’s Holiday Grand Parade during the summers.

“The biggest change this year is the full loop,” said Karla Hogan, who is overseeing the event. “That’s pretty nice, especially for participants. It’s a nice circle.”

Some downtown businesses have indicated they will be offering refreshments, she said.

Sweet Home’s recent lighted parades started in 2015, with the big one in 2018, the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree celebration, which included a nighttime parade that drew a large crowd.

Hogan is hoping for a big turnout this year, she said last week, adding that parade entries are adding up.

“We’re expecting a lot of floats,” she said. “We’ve had quite a few entries with our early registration.”

Entries are still being accepted, she said. Cost to enter is $10.

For information, contact Karla Hogan at (541) 409-0547 or register online at bit.ly/3X1sUlb.

As happens in July, the route will start at 22nd Avenue and Long Street and go north on 22nd to Main Street, where it will turn left and proceed to 10th Avenue, where it will return via Long Street to the starting point.

Dominic Valloni, operations manager for the city Public Works Department, said the street closures and parking restrictions along the parade route will be similar to Sportsman’s Holiday, starting about 2 p.m. Saturday.

He said 22nd Avenue in the area of Long Street will be shut down at 4 p.m. for staging. The entire route – Long Street and the eastbound lanes of Main Street – will be shut down at 5 p.m.

Valloni said ODOT has instructed contractors not to start new curb improvement projects until the end of December.

“They’re kind of buttoning things up,” he said of the existing projects along Main Street through town. “Hopefully, everything will be fairly clean and easy to deal with.”

Hogan said she hopes the community will respond by turning out to watch.

“I’m just excited that city has put faith in us,” she said of the parade plans.

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