Parade of Lights
#1
Posted 28 November 2007 - 09:05 AM
http://sb1.thefifthn...nnelId=ID0ESHAC
#2
Posted 28 November 2007 - 10:39 AM
What I found funny was that when the Mayor went by there was total silence...
#3
Posted 28 November 2007 - 11:52 AM
We spent an hour trying to leave, then gave up and went to eat, left later.
From 2006 we learned:
This year we parked at the T&P station on Lancaster (under the highway).
We walked 4-5 nice blocks to southern edge of parade route.
Set chairs on curb and were good to go - just 1 hour early.
While this year was great, next year we'll reserve some of the city's chairs.
A check of the Parade of Lights official website and there they are.
Reserve a seat for just $5. Not bad, not bad at all.
You don't have to go anywhere to purchase or pickup-
-- just pay online, print out paper-work and bring with you.
That's my plan for next year.
Good Parade by-the-way.
#4
Posted 28 November 2007 - 11:31 PM
It wasn’t as bad this year but there were still several hundred cars queued up on highways feeding into downtown well after the parade was over and the tree had been lit, makes me feel a bit sad because you just know the majority of those cars have munchkins in them.
Better Business Bureau: A place to find or post valid complaints for auto delerships and maintenance facilities. (New Features) If you have a valid gripe about auto dealerships, this is the place to voice it.
#5
Posted 29 November 2007 - 09:38 AM
This is the second year I’ve watched it from my widow, don’t get to see all the detail the folks get to on street level but being able to see most of the action all at once makes it interesting.
It wasn’t as bad this year but there were still several hundred cars queued up on highways feeding into downtown well after the parade was over and the tree had been lit, makes me feel a bit sad because you just know the majority of those cars have munchkins in them.
David - Can you hook up a streaming Sundance Square cam and focus it on the Christmas tree?
#6
Posted 05 April 2015 - 07:57 AM
For the first time in memory, the parade is switching the day that the parade is held to a Sunday so as to address the concerns of some downtown businesses because of street closures.
http://www.fortworth...rg/parade-info/
While it is understandable that some Downtown businesses are hurt when roads are closed hours before the parade, I believe that this will do more harm than good for these same businesses who probably realize an increase in foot traffic sales the day of the parade.
#7
Posted 05 April 2015 - 12:21 PM
The position of the Downtown businesses is that the Parade of Lights is held on a Friday night, which is one of their biggest nights of the week when events are not happening. Their impression is that the road closures, the parade itself, and maybe even the families that are down there only go for the parade and they are taking business away that would normally be there. The feeling is that if it is moved to a Sunday night, which is one of the lightest nights of the week for generating money for the Downtown businesses, there would be more money spent in downtown overall. A big night would not suffer, and a slow night might pick up. However, I'm not sure this will work because the Parade could now be on a school night, depending on their district's schedule. Most people are saying the Sunday before Thanksgiving is not a school night because most districts are out the entire week of Thanksgiving. I really don't have an opinion on this. I think that since they have set the date, they should try it once and then evaluate it. If it works, it's fine, but if the parade numbers go way down, then DFWI should rethink the schedule.
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#8
Posted 05 April 2015 - 01:00 PM
When do, if ever, is there +100,000 people downtown. Downtown is such a walkable area; surely a business could think creative ways to capitalize on families wanting to feed and buy things for their children. Changing thirty-five years of the public habitually associating Friday After Thanksgiving with Downtown is a risky move. No doubt this decision was preceded by some vigorous discussion.
I hope all goes well. It is really one of the great annual events in our city.
#9
Posted 05 April 2015 - 03:31 PM
Yes, the Parade for 2015 might have very light attendance as compared with previous years. They might actually have to try it for a few years in a row to evaluate it thoroughly.
#10
Posted 05 April 2015 - 05:10 PM
When do, if ever, is there +100,000 people downtown.
The Arts Fest, but I would call that a different animal altogether - a crowd spread out over an entire day rather than a few hours and a more fluid and mobile crowd than the parade.
#11
Posted 05 April 2015 - 09:34 PM
When do, if ever, is there +100,000 people downtown.
The Arts Fest, but I would call that a different animal altogether - ....
Oh yeah, I overlooked that one.
#12
Posted 12 November 2016 - 05:02 PM
The TRE just announced that they will be running on the Sunday of the parade (with an odd schedule), so I'm thinking about going.
http://www.trinityra...deoflights.html
Would it be possible to purchase a seat with cash while downtown, or am I forced to purchase seats online with a card?
-Dylan
#13
Posted 16 November 2016 - 06:47 PM
The TRE just announced that they will be running on the Sunday of the parade (with an odd schedule), so I'm thinking about going.
http://www.trinityra...deoflights.html
Would it be possible to purchase a seat with cash while downtown, or am I forced to purchase seats online with a card?
Unless something changed since our meeting last week, there will be no onsite seat purchases. I know because I am with the group that volunteers and manages the parade.
#14
Posted 16 November 2016 - 08:22 PM
Unless something changed since our meeting last week, there will be no onsite seat purchases. I know because I am with the group that volunteers and manages the parade.
Thank you. On YouTube videos, I notice a lot of people stand, so I may just do that.
Anyone else planning to attend?
-Dylan
#15
Posted 16 November 2016 - 09:56 PM
I would be shocked if there's any reserved seating left by the day of the parade. I haven't looked in a few weeks, but the selection was pretty thin when I did.
#16
Posted 20 November 2016 - 10:05 PM
We went to the parade for the first time in my 40 years in this area. Purchased reserved seats yesterday, second row between 8th and 9th on Houston. We parked in the lot to the south of Burnett Plaza, approached and left via Summit and had no traffic coming in at 5:00 and very little traffic when we left. We were on Magnolia for dinner 10 minutes after getting in the car. It doesn't look to me like the move to Sunday is hurting the crowd, but I don't have any reference for comparison.
The parade is great, well worth the $40 spent on seats and parking. My only complaint is the pacing. The middle third or so of the parade really seemed to drag with most entries being nearly a full block apart. It got better toward the end, but my 6 year old was hopped up on hot chocolate and started getting antsy.
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#17
Posted 21 November 2016 - 07:31 AM
We went to the parade for the first time in my 40 years in this area.....It doesn't look to me like the move to Sunday is hurting the crowd, but I don't have any reference for comparison.....The parade is great...
The Parade of Lights(POL) is certainly one of the events that all of Fort Worth should experience at least once; and is also a wonderful opportunity for visitors to witness what an excellent place this is to live.
I thought that moving from the Friday after Thanksgiving to the Sunday before Thanksgiving was odd until I learned that FWISD and some other local schools begin their Thanksgiving Break the Monday thru Friday that includes the 3rd Thursday of November. This then would make perfect sense.
Families can spread the travel time over Monday, Tuesday and or Wednesday and can return home on a Friday or Saturday. This schedule makes for the possibility of a more tranquil, restful orderly break.
One thing that I think ought to be emphasized greater is Thanksgiving and that there ought to be a lesser emphasis on Christmas.
#18
Posted 21 November 2016 - 09:01 AM
It definitely feels early for a Christmas parade, but given how many of my Facebook friends decorated this weekend, I think I'm in the minority with that feeling.
The other reason I've heard for moving the parade (but never seen publicized) is the police department being spread too thin to cover a TCU game and the parade on the same day. Last year's Baylor game would have been at the same time as the parade and this year's would overlap with the beginning of the parade.
#19
Posted 22 November 2016 - 12:17 AM
I'm considering going to the Thanksgiving parade when I'm in Houston on Thursday, which is strange considering I just watched a Christmas parade.
The sidewalks were crowded and the view was bad watching behind other people while standing on the sidewalk. Thankfully, there was room on the flag pole base at 9th and Houston, and the people in front of me were short, so I ended up getting a good view. If I go again, I'll probably reserve a seat.
During the parade, a classic car stalled out in front of us and had to be physically pushed off to the side of the route, which caused a backup for cars and floats behind it. That might be why some entries were spaced so far apart by the time they got to you.
It was really interesting to walk around and see downtown with streets shut down and people camping along sidewalks before the parade.
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-Dylan
#20
Posted 22 November 2016 - 10:10 AM
#21
Posted 23 November 2016 - 10:58 AM
The other reason I've heard for moving the parade (but never seen publicized) is the police department being spread too thin to cover a TCU game and the parade on the same day. Last year's Baylor game would have been at the same time as the parade and this year's would overlap with the beginning of the parade.
I assume that a bigger reason for moving the parade from Friday to the Sunday before Thanksgiving Day is the ever growing and unstoppable taking over of that Friday as "Black Friday". Who could possibly have any energy left to stand for a parade after a day of non-stop shopping?
#22
Posted 23 November 2016 - 11:47 AM
#23
Posted 23 November 2016 - 01:32 PM
I like the move to Sunday because I am usually traveling to see family and missed the parade when it was on Friday. Since the move to Sunday we have gone every year.
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#24
Posted 23 November 2016 - 01:35 PM
I was going to pipe in, to bring up the points that I had heard. Those points are in agreement with mmmdan. I had heard the merchants and restaurants had complained that the Friday parade crowds were hurting their businesses because they didn't buy anything, and they didn't come into the restaurants to eat.
#25
Posted 23 November 2016 - 03:59 PM
If the reports were accurate, 100,000+ were mustering up the energy on that day for 35 years.
Even still, Black Friday during many of those 35 years was small potatoes to what it has become now; even pre-Black Friday (Thanksgiving afternoon/evening) is drawing families away from the holiday table sooner than in the past.
BTW, I don't reading or am I aware of a serious security problem being associated with the parade that would make FWPD job more difficult. I have gone to many of the parades and it is one of the friendliest and best behaved crowds that you can imagine. As for a collegiate football game that consistently hurt attendance; and besides, that would be well within the capability of the FWPD while performing its regular duties.
Weather has hurt attendance,maybe; but sports - nah.
#26
Posted 23 November 2016 - 04:33 PM
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#27
Posted 25 November 2016 - 08:22 PM
I'm thinking it would be better to move the Parade of Lights to a Sunday in the month of December.
I just attended a Thanksgiving parade in Houston yesterday... half a week after attending FW's Christmas parade.
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-Dylan
#28
Posted 26 November 2016 - 01:47 PM
I agree that November 20th is entirely too early for a Christmas themed parade. I think the issue that comes up with running the parade on the Sunday after Thanksgiving or the next Sunday is that puts it on a school night. The Sunday prior to the holiday is not a school night for most districts. An alternative would be to move it to the first weekend when school is out before Christmas and keep the tree lighting on Thanksgiving weekend (not as disruptive as the parade, I'm sure). You get into competing with busy holiday schedules, but people will adjust eventually.
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#29
Posted 26 November 2016 - 09:12 PM
I agree that November 20th is entirely too early for a Chris... An alternative would be to move it to the first weekend when school is out before Christmas and keep the tree lighting on Thanksgiving weekend (not as disruptive as the parade, I'm sure). You get into competing with busy holiday schedules, but people will adjust eventually.
I agree with Chris and you. Scheduled the parade for the 3rd Sunday in December; and officially begin the season with the tree lighting on Friday after Thanksgiving. I hope DFWI will stumble upon your comments and consider your suggestions; all for which seem quite sensible.
Oops. School may still have a few days in. The sure fire day is the first Friday night that school begins the winter break.
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#30
Posted 27 November 2016 - 10:12 AM
It's worth pointing out that Fort Worth is only in school that week this year because of Christmas falling on the following weekend. They are one of the only, if not the only, district(s) in Tarrant County in school that week. (I only have that random information because I prepare a calendar for work every year that includes local school holidays.)
I would also mention that my only reason for moving the parade is the extremely subjective opinion that it's "too early" when it happens on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. If attendance has fallen off by moving it up a week, it was difficult to tell by being there this year. Obviously it's not "early" enough to scare off the bulk of their audience. Let's face it: it's a free event geared toward families and there's a set of the population that would go to the parade in September just because it's a free night out with your kids. Even at the $40 I spent on reserved seats and parking, it was a pretty cheap night out.
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#31
Posted 27 November 2017 - 11:44 AM
I missed the Parade of Lights celebration this year. Didn't seem like there was much media coverage of it, either. One of my Facebook friends attended and took some photos of the Christmas tree.
#33
Posted 27 November 2017 - 04:07 PM
#34
Posted 28 November 2017 - 05:13 AM
Trying to get the right date for the Parade of Lights has been discussed for years. Wasn't it the first week in December before it was scheduled for Black Friday? This year a week before Thanksgiving when few are yet feeling the holiday spirit. My suggestion: Why not set up the tree and decorations in mid-November, then have the tree-lighting ceremony the first Friday or Saturday in December. Leave the tree up to the day after New Year's, so long as it's placed in a spot that doesn't interfere with the New Year's Eve celebration.
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#35
Posted 28 November 2017 - 09:32 AM
I think that Sundance Square's commercialization of the season is dictating the start of the holiday season based upon its own calendar.
It is not necessary to put up a tree in November unless your intentions are to induce shopping in your stores. The tree lighting and the parade should separate events. The sponsor of the parade should determine when the parade is held; and unless Sundance Square wishes to be the sponsor, it should not determine its date.
I loved the time when the parade was held on the Friday after Thanksgiving Day; it was ingrained in everybody's mind. Now it is confusing and even must compete with professional sports.
If the parade organizers could synchronize the date with the closing of FWISD for its Winter Break, then it would return to being a family event a less of a commercial kick start for Downtown merchants.
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#36
Posted 28 November 2017 - 09:49 AM
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#37
Posted 28 November 2017 - 10:28 AM
The tree lighting and the parade were separate events this year. I haven't heard that attendance at the parade has suffered the least from moving the date up. It was wall-to-wall people when I went last year. It helps that most schools are out the week of Thanksgiving and the event is still happening on a non school night.
I have my dates incorrect. FWISD was closed the week of Nov.20-24th. When was the parade held this year and was it Nov. 19th?
I still believe that the parade is better when it is in December and when it signals the beginning of the Winter Break.
#38
Posted 28 November 2017 - 10:31 AM
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#41
Posted 28 November 2017 - 11:15 AM
Good chance it will be even earlier next year...
The 18th if everything holds true to form. The cycle resets in 2019 with Thanksgiving being on the 29th, so the parade would move back to the 24th.
Hey, people in my parent's neighborhood had lights on their house the first full week of November.
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#42
Posted 28 November 2017 - 11:20 AM
Fort Worth weather for November 19, 2017: 73 degrees for a high; and 63 degrees for a low (probably midnight to 7am)
The old joke was "Christmas in July"; its not such a joke anymore.
#43
Posted 28 November 2017 - 04:27 PM
Good chance it will be even earlier next year...
The 18th if everything holds true to form. The cycle resets in 2019 with Thanksgiving being on the 29th, so the parade would move back to the 24th.
Hey, people in my parent's neighborhood had lights on their house the first full week of November.
Thanksgiving will be on the 28th in 2019.
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#44
Posted 28 November 2017 - 06:56 PM
#45
Posted 28 November 2017 - 08:05 PM
It was on the 19th. I agree that it "feels" better in December, but if attendance isn't hurting by moving it up, I'm not sure that would be reason enough to move it again.
Seems organizers only care about attendance and getting people downtown on a non-busy day.
-Dylan
#46
Posted 28 November 2017 - 08:11 PM
To be honest, what else should they care about? I get that they're providing the community with an event, but if people still show up early, why push it later when they're competing against other events and busier schedules?
#47
Posted 28 November 2017 - 08:24 PM
With that reasoning, they might as well host the Parade of Lights over summer break.
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-Dylan
#48
Posted 28 November 2017 - 09:32 PM
Well, at least everyone would be dressed for the weather.
#49
Posted 27 December 2017 - 02:32 PM
I walked through Sundance Square Plaza this afternoon and saw that the Christmas tree is still there. I suppose it will be coming down by Saturday in preparation for the New Year's Eve celebration.
#50
Posted 27 December 2017 - 02:35 PM
I doubt it. It's been up for every NYE event in the plaza thus far.
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