Jace Harris operated an excavator that picked up presents and filled the truck, which was decked out in lights.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole family worked on it quite awhile and had fun. We bought a lot of lights and decorations from the local thrift stores,\u201d said Harris.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe always watched this parade as kids, now we\u2019re building our own floats, coming up with ideas for next year already,\u201d Tyler Holaday said.<\/p>\n
Branson Tractors and Ace\u2019s Auto teamed up to build a float that showed Santa caught in a trap hanging upside down.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Grinch is stealing Santa in a 1954 Ford Truck,\u201d said Chance Comiski. \u201cWe wanted to bring some comedy to the parade.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kevin Rice, of Branson\u2019s Tractors, came up with the idea, he said.<\/p>\n
Staff and family of Countryside Disposal had a movie projector playing \u201cThe Grinch\u201d movie.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Cortez, we are proud of our big parades,\u201d Herman Rosas said.<\/p>\n
Ephrim Dutchie came over with family and friends from White Mesa, Utah, to participate in the parade. \u201cWe do it for the kids, and for the holiday spirit,\u201d he said. \u201cWe really needed this to lift the spirits for the community. It\u2019s a great way to come together.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nikki Marshall was grateful the parade was not canceled because of the pandemic. Her daughters Sophia and Bella were bubbling with excitement.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s outside, clean family fun. I love seeing my firefighting friends and the classic cars,\u201d Marshall said. Sophia likes the Grinch, she said, and Bella hoped to see a horse dressed up as Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer.<\/p>\n
Kids from various schools were stationed at the judges\u2019 table at Market and Main streets.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m looking if the float is presented well, how creative it is, the music that is playing. Then of course, does it have enough lights!\u201d said judge Maddisyn VanGrandt. \u201cIt\u2019s fun helping to decide the best ones.\u201d<\/p>\n Categories for floats were \u201cCommercial,\u201d \u201cNonprofit\u201d and \u201cOther.\u201d<\/p>\n For the commercial category, first place went to Holaday Trucking\/Harris Dirt Works\/Harris Transportation. Second place was Aaron\u2019s Sales and Lease, and third place was Colorado Title and Closing Services.<\/p>\n For the nonprofit category, first place went to Dolores Playground Group. Second place was Celebrate Recovery Rock Springs Church, and third place was Girl Scouts Service Unit 206.<\/p>\n In the other category, first place went to the Montezuma County Patriots. Second place was the Four Corners Dancers, and Third Place was Koskies.<\/p>\n The judges were Tara Buffington of Dove Creek, Erin Lawrence of Mancos, Chesnie Patrick of Montezuma-Cortez High School, Maddisyn VanGrandt of Cortez Middle School and Dylan Koskie of Dolores Schools.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a fun night. All the floats were well done and bright, nobody went halfway,\u201d said organizer Michelle Morris. \u201cThe crowd looked so happy with a lot of pictures and video being taken.\u201d<\/p>\n As anticipation increased throughout the week, so too did the float count, which was into the 30s and climbing by Wednesday, according to Terry McCabe, parade organizer and Four Corners Board of Realtors member.<\/p>\n While float numbers might have been lower than the past couple of years, which saw over 60 floats apiece, McCabe was encouraged by some entries from local businesses participating for the first time. They joined some of the Parade of Lights mainstays, including this year\u2019s parade marshal, the Dolores Playground Group.<\/p>\n Floats from various local businesses and organizations vied for cash prizes among the top three placing floats in each of three categories \u2013 commercial, nonprofit and other.<\/p>\n Last year\u2019s top three in each category were Stormy\u2019s ATC Gymnastics, Slavens True Value, and TruWest Auto in the Commercial category; the Girl Scout Service Unit 206, Re-1 Transportation and Whimspire Child Placement Agency in the Nonprofit category; and Copeland Family USA Truck, Cortez 911 Dispatch Center and Four Corners Reenacting in the Other category.<\/p>\n Local youths ages 10 to 15 representing each of the local communities were tasked with picking their favorite floats from this year\u2019s entrants based on various criteria, including lights, music, workmanship and adherence to this year\u2019s parade theme \u2013 \u201cMaybe Christmas, Perhaps, Means a Little Bit More.\u201d Celebrating the importance of the holidays for families, and especially children, this year\u2019s theme goes hand in hand with the elements that the Four Corners Board of Realtors put in place for the parade.<\/p>\n From the youth-based judge\u2019s panel to the Dolores Playground Group as parade marshal, each detail focused on making this year\u2019s event special for the youths participating in floats or in attendance as spectators.<\/p>\n The Parade of Lights was a focal point for driving public interest and fundraising several years ago, so this year\u2019s parade serves as a celebration following the successful completion of playground in Joe Rowell Park earlier this year.<\/p>\n The whole process to even have a parade this year has been strewn with obstacles, said McCabe, so getting to keep the tradition going would mark a success.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re planning on everything moving forward as planned,\u201d she said, noting that cooperation from the Colorado Department of Transportation was an integral part of the operation, given the parade\u2019s route on a highway. Expecting a large crowd, local health officials encouraged precautions by participants and spectators to keep the event safe and enjoyable. As Montezuma County moved to Level Orange on Colorado\u2019s COVID-19 risk assessment dial, outdoor events were limited to 75 people.<\/p>\n