Lighting Up The Night

For many, the Christmas season begins only after hearing Bing Crosby crooning the familiar lyrics, “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas.”

Yet if you are from La Pine and surrounding areas, the true kickoff to the holiday season is the Christmas Light Parade. Always the first Saturday in December, this year’s parade is Dec. 3.

Now in its 22nd year, the La Pine Christmas light parade is as symbolic to the holiday season as the Frontier Days are to the Fourth of July. Originally a light parade specifically for logging trucks from as far away as Christmas Valley and Lakeview, the parade was the brainchild of Linda Stephenson, who came up with the idea after watching a similar event in John Day.

“The Truckers’ Light Parade was to celebrate the logging industry right here in Central Oregon,”said Stephenson, owner of L&S Gardens in La Pine. “The first year we had about 20 hay and logging trucks. What a sight to see.”

Over the years, the entries have become more elaborate, and the parade now includes as many as 40 participants. Once the logging industry began to decline, entries adapted to include just about anything that had wheels. Entries today include ATVs, cars, motorcycles, garbage trucks, semis, hay trucks, lawn mowers and RVs. Non-wheeled, unique entrants such as dog sleds, bicycles and people on foot also make a fun addition to the event.

Everyone (or thing) is welcome to enter, with one prerequisite: The entry must have lights — lots of lights.

“Entries take a long time to decorate,” said Ann Gawith, executive director of the La Pine Chamber of Commerce, the organization that manages the parade. “It’s a commitment of time and manpower. But we have no problem getting sponsors, volunteers or entrants.”

The entry with the most lights wins bragging rights, though entries compete in three categories: most lights, loudest and longest. The winners each receive a trophy (that lights up of course).

The twinkling, glowing, flashing lights that decorate the vehicles are run by generators, which tend to make the event a bit loud.

Easy access to the parade route gives everyone front row seats; the start of the parade at Memorial Lane and Huntington Road is the best place to see and hear announcements introducing the sponsor of each entry.

Santa completes the long line of brilliantly lit entrants and vehicles. Gawith says the parade committee randomly chooses the rig that will carry Santa so a different participant receives the honor of carrying the jolly fellow each year.

“Our friends, neighbors and community members look forward to getting together to line up along the parade route,” said Stephenson. “It is a true community event.”

The parade ends at the annual Holiday Bazaar at the La Pine Event Center on First Street, where parade attendees can warm up, enjoy Christmas goodies, watch the trophy presentation and start their holiday shopping with selections of locally handmade gifts.

Imagine Bing Crosby singing, “May your days be merry and bright. And may all your Christmases be light, (white)” — and mark your calendar for the La Pine Christmas Light Parade, Saturday, December 3 at 6 p.m.

For information on how to enter, contact the La Pine Chamber of Commerce at 541-536-9771 or email info@lapinechamber.org.