Modesto’s Celebration of Lights parades returns to downtown, bringing holiday cheer

Modesto’s Celebration of Lights holiday parade returned to traditional form this year, after the pandemic forced it to reverse its order last December and have attendees drive through static displays instead.

The annual Christmastime event through the streets of downtown Modesto drew a large and excited crowd that was a few rows deep in places. The evening event brought out floats, cars, trucks, horses and marchers festooned with colorful holiday lights and other decorations.

Three-year-old Bella Escalante of Modesto came to her first Celebration of Lights parade with her parents and 2-year-old sibling. She was looking forward to “the lights and the cars,” and the event delivered. This year, about 77 entrants took part, still down from the 90 to 100 in years past.

But it was a vast improvement over last year’s pandemic disrupted event, which had only about six to eight floats that attendees drove past in their own vehicles.

Sandy Wolfe, the recreation coordinator for Modesto’s Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods Department, said they were “very, very excited to have it back” to normal this year.

Those who come every year, like Amado Valencia, who attended with about 20 members of his family, also were excited for the return. The family reserved its seats about 9:30 a.m. Saturday. But those still weren’t the first chairs on the sidewalk.

Valencia said they skipped last year’s modified event because it wasn’t the same.

“The music, the floats, just everything. It’s nice to have it back,” he said.