Christmas lights will return to downtown Tracy as the annual Holiday Light Parade & Tree Lighting Ceremony returns after it was on a one-year hiatus because of the COVID -19 pandemic.
Dino Margaros, Tracy City Center Association executive director, said about 30 entries are scheduled to light up the downtown streets at 6 p.m. on Dec. 4.
The parade begins on 10th Street at the B Street intersection and travels east to Central Avenue.
“We’re bringing it back, it’s a highly anticipated community event, a well-attended event,” Margaros said.
Past parades have brought nearly 4,000 spectators to line the downtown streets watching the lighted cars, floats and walking entries pass by.
The parade then heads south on Central Avenue passing the Grand Theatre Center for the Arts and ending at the Sixth Street roundabout.
Following the parade at about 7:15 p.m., the lights will be turned on at the tree in the Front Street Plaza after the parade entry winners are announced. Last year a virtual tree lighting was held but the event returns in-person this year.
There will be some changes to this year’s festivities because of COVID protocols.
“This year were going to have Santa and Mrs. Claus up on the stage,” Margaros said. “We’re not going to do the Santa Hut just because of COVID protocol — safety for them, safety for everybody.”
Santa and Mrs. Claus will once again ride on the South San Joaquin County Fire Authority tiller truck in the parade.
The Tracy City Center Association will have a special mailbox for children to drop off their letters to Santa. The letters will be collected after his special visit to the tree lighting ceremony.
Even with the few changes Margaros was happy to have one of the more popular family events back in downtown.
“It’s a good feeling to have things back to 95% of normal. It’s been a long time coming. We’ve been put on pause for events for the better part of almost a year and a half so were really trying to scramble to get everything in,” Margaros said. “We still have to remember we’re still operating under some COVID-19 protocols so it’s not completely back to normal but were trying everything we can to make it a happy and festive atmosphere for everyone.”
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