It’s less than 24 hours away now, and we’re all very excited to have this amazing small-town Christmas holiday celebration back for 2021.
Let’s get started with ALL the events planned for tomorrow, December 11th 2021:
- From 8am to 11:30am, the Rio Linda Elverta Chamber of Commerce hosts Breakfast with Santa at the Community Center, 810 Oak Lane in Rio Linda. This free pancake breakfast includes the opportunity to get your family photo taken with Santa himself. For more information, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/4922391307828380
- At 9am and staying open all day until 5pm, Tonia Silva and the merchants at 825 M Street will host a Holiday Bazaar with local shopping, kids crafts, a taco truck, and a lot of fun. This event is a great place to stop by after you have breakfast with Santa at the Depot Building. Spend the day in Downtown Rio Linda, get your Christmas shopping done, shop local vendors. Some vendors will stay open during the parade as well. For more information, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/971788940350043/
- 6pm: The 6th Annual Rio Linda Elverta Christmas Light Parade! The Parade will kick off from Westside Park and will travel along Rio Linda’s “Main Street” (M Street) from Westside Park on West 2nd Street all the way down to the MarVal Plaza parking lot. We will have marching bands, fire trucks, floats, horsemen, and Santa himself rolling down M Street. Our very special guest Grand Marshall this year is Rio Linda’s very own Shane Q, a Top-10 Finalist on Season 17 of “The Voice”.
The 6th Annual Rio Linda Elverta Christmas Light Parade will be held on Saturday, December 11th, beginning at 6pm. We expect the event to end around 8:30-9:00pm.
The route is the same as always: From Westside Elementary School on West 2nd street, the route will travel north on West 2nd to M Street, where it will turn east and will continue to the MarVal Plaza parking lot.
M STREET AND ROADS CROSSING M STREET
WILL BE CLOSING BEGINNING AT 3:30PM
and will not re-open until
AFTER THE PARADE CONCLUDES.
There is a lot of prep that takes place throughout the day, there are people setting up early for the best vantage points, there is equipment in the streets, and as people arrive there are children and families walking the streets. The disruption to traffic takes place once per year, but it is an absolute necessity. The Sacramento County DOT permit reflects this time span.
Notices of the traffic disruption to homes and businesses along the parade route were distributed beginning on November 27th.
As of today, there are 50 entries, plus entries that don’t show up in the numbers, such as Sue Frost, Metro Fire, Twin Rivers PD, Sac Sheriff, etc.
As always, this is a RAIN or SHINE event! We have been blessed in previous years, but if rain happens, be prepared.
Parade Awards will be presented immediately following the Parade in Troy Park at 7th and M Street under the Community Christmas Tree.
There will be NO throwing of any candy or anything of any kind. HOWEVER, participants are encouraged to hand treats directly to kids along the parade route.
Please, please PLEASE… Bring bags for the children to receive candy from the walkers. They WILL be handing candy directly to the kids. It’ll be a reverse trick or treat where the candy comes to the kids!
PLEASE Bring trash bags. Share them with others who don’t have trash bags.
PLEASE place your trash in the trash bags!
PLEASE police your area and help your neighbors collect trash that’s accumulated.
We can’t afford to have the County send a street sweeper out to clean up. It’s in the thousands of dollars for that to happen. Let’s all pitch in and do our part to Keep Rio Linda Beautiful!
Community Christmas Tree Lighting
The community tree has been lit for about a week, but we’re going to light it up anyway! We’ll have a lighting ceremony at about 6pm as the parade kicks off at Westside Park.
The Rio Linda Elverta Community Christmas Tree is located at Troy Park, where the judges and announcer will be stationed.
Downtown Rio Linda Lamppost decorations
Once again, The Chamber will be decorating the light poles along M Street with sponsored Holiday swag and ribbons. These swag decorations will be similar to past years, mounted on the lampposts along the M Street parade route and sponsored by local businesses and organizations. The cost to sponsor is $100.
To sponsor a pole, or to help with the tree, contact Tabitha Worth at RLEChristmasParade1@gmail.com or at 916-910-4900.
Parking
Parking is catch as catch can along the parade route; Some popular locations are at MarVal Plaza; Along Front Street near the Depot Building at the Water District; at the Rio Linda Library; at the Methodist church parking lot at 6th and M Street.
