Las Posadas Holiday Event Celebrates its 61st Year
Dec. 11 will mark the 61st annual Las Posadas event in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. The Las Posadas procession is a walking reenactment of the biblical story of Mary and Joseph’s search for a birthplace for the Christ child. Everyone is invited to join the candlelit procession and sing traditional holiday songs in both Spanish and English as the players go from inn to inn, asking for symbolic lodging. The procession culminates with a live nativity scene in front of Casa de Estudillo as well as a piñata party.
This event combines the Anglo custom of caroling with the Hispanic tradition of the procession and the breaking of the piñata.
Before the procession that takes place at 5 p.m., this event will also feature a daytime celebration and preshow with live music, performances and activities for children from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. A variety of local music and performing arts groups will perform from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
For children’s entertainment, there will be free craft activities that include making pioneer-style cloth dolls, as well as corn-husk dolls and paper holiday flowers. At end of the festival, there will be a piñata-breaking party following the Las Posadas procession at 6 p.m. Admission to Las Posadas is free.
Chula Vista Civic Center Serves as Showcase for LED Holiday Lights
Energy efficient LED lighting will light up Chula Vista’s Civic Center complex over the holidays at no cost to the City. The display, featuring more than 250 light strands on buildings and palm trees, is part of an effort to encourage residents and businesses to make the switch to newer and safer energy saving technology.
By exchanging their traditional incandescent holiday lights for LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting strands, home-owners can reduce energy costs by up to 90%. Also, LEDs last more than 10 times longer than conventional lights, produce a brighter light, and have cooler operating temperatures—making them safe to touch and less likely to cause a fire.
South Bay residents will also be able to exchange up to three incandescent holiday light strands for energy-efficient, multi-colored LED strands before the Starlight Parade in Chula Vista. The exchange will be held on Saturday, December 3 from 1 to 5 pm at Memorial Park, 373 Park Way.
Starlight Parade Celebrates its 50th Year
The Starlight Parade is celebrating its 50th year on Saturday, December 3 at 6 p.m. Thousands of people will gather on Third Avenue between H and E streets staking out their viewing spot for the largest nighttime parade in the South County. With over 5,000 participants, the parade includes local high school marching bands, decorated holiday floats, local dance troupes, service organizations, strolling carolers and more.
Kick off the holiday season with Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox at the holiday tree lighting ceremony in Memorial Park at 5:30 p.m. The park is located at 373 Park Way. The parade immediately follows the tree lighting.
Just a reminder a number of east/west street that cross Third Avenue will be closed prior to and during the parade. Those attending either event should watch for traffic signs in the area.
Celebrate the Holidays with Write Out Loud: Giving Season Delights Audiences of All Ages
Giving Season, Write Out Loud’s annual performance of holiday stories, will be presented on Monday, Dec. 5 at the Old Town Theatre and Tuesday, Dec. 6 in Carlsbad City Library’s Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium. Both performances begin at 7 p.m.
The program will feature stories and poems by a variety of well-known authors. The lineup includes “Remembrance is Sufficient” by E.B. White, “A Parakeet Named Dreidel” by Isaac Bashevis Singer, “Chaparral Christmas” by O. Henry, “My Christmas Miracle” by Taylor Caldwell, “Christmas Day in the Morning” by Pearl S. Buck and “Christmas Trees” by Robert Frost.
“Giving Season provides us the opportunity to celebrate the spirit of giving with the community,” noted Artistic Director Veronica Murphy. “The stories, written by some of our favorite authors, are specially selected to appeal to all ages.”
Reservations are recommended and can be made on-line at www.writeoutloudsd.com or by calling 619-297-8953. Tickets are $15 for the general public and $13 for senior, student and active military. Children under 18 tickets are $5.
40th Annual San Diego Bay Parade of Lights to ‘Light Up the Bay for Youth’
STAR/PAL, a San Diego nonprofit that connects law enforcement with underserved youth to build safer communities, is partnering with the 40th annual San Diego Bay Parade of Lights to host a fundraising evening themed “Light Up the Bay for Youth.” The event will be held the first night of the Parade of Lights, Sunday, December 11 from 5 to 9 p.m. aboard the Maritime Museum’s Berkeley ferry boat.
The evening gathering will raise critical funds needed to support STAR/PAL athletic, educational and recreational programs. The event will also support the Parade of Lights.
The Berkeley will offer guests front row seats to the Parade’s elaborate fireworks display at 5:30 which precedes the procession of more than 100 vessels lavishly decorated according to this year’s Parade theme, “Back to the Future.”
The parade is free to attend. Tickets to the fundraising gala are $35 for a single ticket and $50 for a pair, and may be purchased at www.starpal.org.