Annual Lighted Truck Parade a dazzling success - Fort Bragg Advocate-News
FORT BRAGG — Neither rain, nor wind, nor COVID-19 stayed the Fort Bragg Annual Lighted Truck Parade this year — though it certainly made for a bit of a soggy Santa.
Under the guidance of Mendocino County’s Health Officer, Dr. Andy Coren, the annual holiday parade went through a new route this year, with many precautions in place for keeping the crowds safe. Most notably, onlookers were encouraged to line the route with their cars and stay inside their vehicles as the fantastical floats and lighted trucks wound their way down Main Street.
Maia, J.R. and Max Lane -- who is no more than 2 -- watch the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade begin at the corner of Cypress and S. Main Streets in Fort Bragg. Going by on the street is Peter Olson in his 1928 Model A Ford, on behalf of the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. Dec. 5, 2020. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
Steve Tunzi and his son wait for the parade to start as they sit safe and warm inside their new truck, decked out with lights for the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
Paul, Danielle and Victoria Shandel stay warm by the fire on their float representing Paul Shandel's firewood company, at the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
Santa and a volunteer from the Fort Bragg Fire Department make final adjustments to their truck, at the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
Lights on a truck at the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
A cluster of adorable penguins attend to Santa at the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. From left to right, the penguins are Claudia, Lucy, Dalayza, Jaden, Osiel, Diego and Zahori. On the far left, Santa is portrayed by local, Juan Martinez. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
Peter Olson, representing the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, prepares to drive his 1928 Model A Ford in the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
The Fort Bragg High School Class of 2021 pose on their Polar Express-themed parade float, at the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
A float representing Grace Baptist, Trinity Lutheran, Bethel Baptist, Coast Christian and First Baptist churches made good use of a live feed and a projector on its float, at the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
Marte Tubbs, a staffing coordinator at Adventist health Mendocino Coast hospital, waits for the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade to start inside a decorated ambulance. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
An American flag made out of Christmas lights waves from the back of the Tunzi Ranch float, at the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
City Councilor Tess Albin-Smith waves from the back of the city's float, at the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
A jolly gingerbread man braves the rain on the FBHS Senior float, at the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
Santa (Juan Martinez, of Fort Bragg) is ready for his coast debut, at the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
Tunzi Ranch's truck entry, at the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
Mary Pardini puts the final touches on the Grinch-themed, Fort Bragg High School sophomore float, at the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
The Junior Class of Fort Bragg High School waves from the back of their Rudolph-themed float, at the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
Alan Limbard puts the final touches on the City of Fort Bragg's float, at the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
Lights twinkle on the grill of a truck at the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
Trucks, motorcycles, cars and more line up at Noyo Headlands Park, waiting for the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade to begin. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
Lights twinkle on a truck at the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
The Fort Bragg Fire Department started the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade off with a wave from Santa, atop a lit-up hook and ladder truck. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
The Fort Bragg Fire Department gets the annual Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade started, Dec. 5, 2020. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
An entry starts the route, at the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. Dec. 5, 2020. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
The "jolly junior" class of Fort Bragg High School poses on their float, at the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
The Tunzi Ranch float entry to the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley -- Advocate-News)
The parade was staged — and started on — the west side of Cypress Street at 6:30 p.m., near the south entrance to Noyo Headlands Park, though spectators started lining the route as much as an hour earlier. Multiple local agencies came together to help temporarily block intersections as the floats drove through, said Fort Bragg Police Chief John Naulty.
At the intersection of Cypress and S. Main streets, floats turned left onto Main and continued north through town to W. Elm Street, where the parade ended.
Because of the limitations on gatherings, the city did not host a Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony this year, but the tree is on display on the lawn of the Guest House Museum.
However, the Fort Bragg’s Fire Department did host a Drive-Thru Candy Cane Run and canned food drive earlier in the day on Saturday, at the Fort Bragg Fire Station.
This year, the parade entry fee was waived and registration was thrown open to anyone wishing to participate. The only requirement was to just show up at the Noyo Headlands Park around 5:30 p.m. All motorized equipment operators were required to carry a fire extinguisher and no parade participants were allowed to hand out flyers or throw candy.
Paul, Danielle and Victoria Shandel stay warm by the fire on their float representing Paul Shandel’s firewood company, at the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley — Advocate-News)
Though it was a shorter, more direct route for the parade than in previous years, and under very different circumstances, that didn’t stop the parade’s volunteers from coming out in droves. Many were first-time participants and parade officials said there were many more trucks and cars than they had anticipated.
Perhaps most notable were the floats from Fort Bragg High School’s sophomore, junior and senior classes: In a toned-down school year where students aren’t getting much of a chance to shine, it was all hands on deck for the floats of the class of 2021, 2022 and 2023.
“We get to participate in this one thing,” said senior Briana Ferguson. “I’m really surprised the city still did it, but it’s a nice little thing for the seniors.”
Calling themselves the “jolly juniors,” FBHS junior Jacie Clavelle said they were “all just trying to make the best of it.”
The classes chose classic holiday movies to theme their floats on, including Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch, the animated classic Rudolph, and the senior’s float was themed after 2004’s The Polar Express.
Peter Olson, representing the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, prepares to drive his 1928 Model A Ford in the 2020 Fort Bragg Lighted Truck Parade. (Robin Epley — Advocate-News)
“I’m just happy we’re doing it, we got a great turn out,” said City Manager Tabatha Miller. “Everyone is staying in their cars and staying safe.”
Families — especially those with small children — lined the streets and waved as the floats went by. The parade was a little faster than usual, some said, but it was cheery all the same.
“Everyone’s effort was inspiring. There was a lot of participation,” said J.R. Lane, of Comptche, who was there with his son Max, 2, and Max’s mom, Maia. “And it always rains a lot, so this was a lot cozier way to watch it.”
0 Response to "Annual Lighted Truck Parade a dazzling success - Fort Bragg Advocate-News"
Post a Comment