On Dec. 4, the City of Davis will host their 44th annual Candlelight Parade and new Winter Wonderland event
By GIA LOOMIS — city@theaggie.org
On Dec. 4, the City of Davis is hosting seasonal events to get Davis residents to celebrate the start of the holiday season. Beginning this Thursday at 6 p.m., the city’s annual Candlelight Parade will take place along with the newly re-envisioned Winter Wonderland event. Events will surround G Street in Downtown Davis and last until roughly 8:30 p.m. The Candlelight Parade has been a long-standing tradition for Davis’ holiday seasons for decades.
“This is the 44th year of the annual Candlelight Parade,” Carrie Dyer, City of Davis community relations program manager, said. “This is the first year of the newly re-envisioned Winter Wonderland event.”
The parade will begin at the Davis Food Co-op parking lot and will end on G Street, where the rest of the Winter Wonderland events will take place. As the parade moves throughout town, rolling street closures will occur to accommodate it. After the Candlelight Parade reaches G Street, there will be a countdown to begin the Winter Wonderland festivities.
While the Winter Wonderland event has been done in the past, the Davis City Council has refreshed several aspects of the event for this year. This year, the Winter Wonderland was updated to feature new special winter lights and festive decorations.
Dyer explained why the event was modified this year.
“The Winter Wonderland event was envisioned this year to follow the theme of the candlelight parade, as well as to focus on the beauty of lights and community gathering,” Dyer said. “Events can provide the opportunity for everyone to gather and share in traditions. This builds upon a sense of community and belonging.”
However, the newly envisioned Winter Wonderland will not just focus on lights; there will be events and activities for all ages, which will include performances from various local groups, horse and carriage rides and mascot characters.
Local organizations have also collaborated with the City of Davis to offer special activities at the Winter Wonderland. This includes the Varsity Theatre offering free showings of “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” and the Davis Downtown Business Association (DDBA) presenting a tree display at the E Street Plaza in order to encourage a sense of community among local businesses, according to the City of Davis’ website.
Holiday events like the Candlelight Parade and the Winter Wonderland provide helpful community-building and free, interactive events for residents.
Davis resident Gloria Aldrich explained how these gatherings serve as a beneficial purpose for families in Davis.
“I love going to the Candlelight Parade every year,” Aldrich said. “It was a great event to take my kids to when they were young, and now it’s a great way to meet new people in the community.”
To learn more about the Candlelight Parade and Winter Wonderland event, visit the City of Davis’ website for more details and other upcoming events.
Written By: Gia Loomis — city@theaggie.org
