the Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Tuesday, November 21, 2006 6:00 pm
The theme for this year’s Star City Holiday Festival is “Making Spirits Bright,” Mayor Coleen Seng announced Tuesday.
The 22nd annual event is set for Dec. 2 in downtown Lincoln. The 11 a.m. parade is presented by Updowntowners Inc. and the city of Lincoln.
“This year, we are looking forward to a spectacular event, thanks to the hard work of many volunteers and community supporters, who help make this the largest parade of its kind in the five-state area,” Seng said in a news release.
Deb Johnson, executive director of Updowntowners, said the parade attracts 85,000 people. Parade entries include marching bands, giant helium balloons and animals. The parade also will feature the newer brightly colored push floats, including Star City Sweets and the Lincoln Federal Savings giant piggy bank.
Parade mascot Major Drummond will make his annual appearance, and Santa and Mrs. Claus will greet crowds.
Pre-parade entertainment will begin at 9:30 a.m. along the parade route.
An awards ceremony after the parade will begin at 12:45 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom of the Cornhusker Marriott Hotel.
A panel of band professionals will judge the competing bands. All other judging will be done by a panel of children, ages 8 through 14.
The parade will be televised live on KOLN/KGIN-TV (channel 11).
It will be re-aired from noon to 1:30 p.m. Dec. 3 on My TV, Time Warner Cable channel 110. It also will be re-aired throughout the month of December on 5 CITY-TV, the local government access cable channel. (Go to lincoln.ne.gov for the 5 CITY-TV schedule.)
The festival’s Web site includes a complete list and description of activities; parking and street closure details; the parade route; sponsorship opportunities; and food vendor information. The Web site can be found at: starcityholidayfestival.org.
For more information, call festival headquarters at 434-6902.