Celebration of Lights draws large crowd
The 77th Annual “Celebration of Lights” in downtown El Paso brought a large crowd Saturday.
The celebration began at 4:30 p.m., and last until the end of the firework show, which began at 7:15 p.m.
ABC-7’s Estela Casas was Master of Ceremonies. She took part in the count-down to the tree lighting.
Thousands of people lined the streets to watch the parade in San Jacinto Plaza. Many dressed lightly, thanks to the unseasonably warm weather. Temperatures hit the mid 70s Saturday. Some people said they were disappointed it didn’t feel more like December outside.
Decorating for the celebration began early, and took a lot of manpower.
“This used to be my trade, I’m a retired firefighter, but this was my second job,” Ramon Lopez Jr. said.
Lopez is referring to his passion for painting.
He has been painting signs for the Thanksgiving parade for 25 years.
This year, he painted the new logo for the “Celebration of Lights.”
The 54-foot Afghan pine was decorated with nearly 11,000 lights, and more than 500 ornaments.
Sixteen trees within San Jacinto Plaza were decorated with 500 bulbs each, 21 sidewalk trees were decorated with 600 bulbs each, and 11 palm trees were decorated with 500 bulbs each.
