Parade to light up downtown on Sunday

Expect even more lights at this year's Downtown Yakima Christmas Light Parade.

The ninth annual Christmas procession has attracted 70 entries, twice as many as last year, said Barbara Greco, executive director of For a Better Tomorrow.

Greco chalks it up to word of mouth.

"I think it's because people watch and see how much fun everybody has and they want to be a part of it," she says.

Sunday's parade begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Salvation Army on Sixth Avenue and heads east on Yakima Avenue to Third Street. It ends in front of the Capitol Theatre and the Millennium Plaza roughly at 6:30 p.m.

After the parade, the Stone Church choir will sing carols from risers and parade organizers will give out float awards.

Then, they will hold a countdown to light up the community tree.

New entries this year include manufactured homes, more fire trucks and busses, Greco said.

The parade comes the day after Sunnyside's famous Lighted Farm Implement Parade, celebrating its 20th year.

Some of the same floats join the Yakima parade, but not many farm vehicles, Greco said.

Grape harvesters and combines can travel from the farm to downtown Sunnyside creeping along backroads. To get them to Yakima, owners would have to load them onto trailers, Greco said.

For more information, call For a Better Tomorrow at 576-3606.