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 e-Newsletter
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The Festival of Lights Parade in East Peoria may happen a week earlier this year. Peoria Public Radio’s Alex Rusciano reports the move could also help draw more people to the Winter Wonderland light display:
The annual parade is usually held the Saturday after Thanksgiving and is a tradition to some. A city committee wants to have the parade a week earlier, and open the winter wonderland lighted display on Thanksgiving Day. The idea is to generate more revenue by having the display open an extra weekend. City councilman Dan Decker says he has some concern about disrupting the Thanksgiving weekend schedule so many people are used to:
“They come into town for Thanksgiving, they stick around and they leave Sunday morning, so they’re still in town Saturday night and they all come to the parade,” Decker says. “Well this year, since the parade is going to be the Saturday prior to Thanksgiving, people won’t be in town. So I am concerned that the numbers of spectators will drop.”
Decker says he supports the schedule change despite his concerns. He says opening the Winter Wonderland display a week earlier could generate thousands of additional dollars for the event. All volunteer support and using LED lights for the displays are other cost saving efforts. |
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