The Downtown Parade of Lights, in its 18th year, is going in an entirely new direction on Saturday.
There will still be thousands of lights covering more than 70 entries - everything from floats and marching bands to accordion players decked out in twinkling lights. And at the end of the parade, BICAS (Bicycle Inter-Community Art and Salvage) will still pull a sleigh featuring a special guest from the North Pole.
But the route is entirely new, prompted in part by the need to avoid streetcar construction. After 17 years in the Armory Park neighborhood, the new route heads north through the El Presidio neighborhood.
"This is a huge change, but it's great because the neighborhood is really excited to have it there," said Brandi Haga, parade coordinator with the Downtown Tucson Partnership.
The parade will pass the Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Ave., which plans to offer free admission that evening, along with music by mariachis.
People are also reading…
The YMCA, 60 W. Alameda St., will have hot cocoa and kids' activities, and give away guest passes, Haga said.
There will also be entertainment, dining and shopping at Old Town Artisans, along with live entertainment near the bleachers at Alameda Street and Church Avenue.
The new route is three-quarters of a mile, and is expected to draw more than 10,000 spectators. At 70-plus entries, this will be one of the largest parades in at least the last nine years, Haga said.
Many of the entries represent businesses, including some from as far as Sierra Vista. There also are a number of community groups.
One of the more unusual new entries will be a float by Peppermint Jim, which will leave a mist of spearmint scent in its wake, she said.
"We want to be part of the community," said Jim Crosby, a fourth-generation mint farmer from Michigan, who has expanded his business to Tucson. "The parade is the perfect venue to say hello to everybody."
This will be the Accordion Club of Tucson's 13th year in the parade, and on Saturday members will walk near the front.
"It's such a thrill to walk, and you see (thousands) of people cheering you and really taking in the Christmas spirit," said Roxanna Baker, who directs the club.
As one might expect, it's not easy to play an accordion that's strung with lights. So members decorate themselves - twinkling Santa hats are a favorite.
And while these musicians will leave their 30-pound concert-ready instruments at home, the ones they will hoist still weigh about 18 pounds.
"When we started in the parade, we were walking up to two miles, so it's really a lot shorter than what we've done in the past," she said.
Mark Jorbin, who owns Cafe a la Carte, 150 N. Main Ave. - which is next to the art museum - was optimistic about the new parade route.
The restaurant is open until 9 p.m. Saturday and plans to offer a special dinner menu, along with holiday-themed desserts (including house-made gingerbread, maple pecan pie and pumpkin yule log) along with a full coffee menu (the December special is a pumpkin spiced latte).
If you go
Mayor's Tree-Lighting Ceremony
• What: Mayor Jonathan Roths-child flips the switch on a "tree" of lights.
• Where: 5:45 p.m. Saturday.
• Where: Jacomé Plaza, in front of the Joel Valdez Main Library.
Downtown Parade of Lights
• When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
• Where: The parade will start at the intersection of west Franklin Street and north Granada Avenue, head south on Granada to west Alameda, north on Stone Avenue to Franklin Street, where it finishes at Church Avenue.
• Cost: Free.
• More: DowntownTucson.org