CLEARLAKE – Clearlake inaugurated the holiday season in style Dec. 6 with a lighted parade and celebration.

Pastor Bean lead prayer with a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony complete with Santa and Mrs. Claus and a few elves, Davis Photography with photos with Santa and Konocti Dance Academy dancers. Lakeshore Lions Club gave out cocoa and neon necklaces and Konocti Love Choir singing Christmas carols.

“This was the best turnout for this parade in many years due to the nice weather,” said Tom Hewlett, President of the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce, which sponsored the event. “Everything flowed seamlessly from the parade to the tree lighting.”

Parade float award winners, were as follows:

– Most Appropriate to Theme (this year's theme was Christmas Carols Come to Life): Cactus Grill “Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer.”

– Most Imaginative Float: Bob Murray and Linda Baker, "Picked up Frosty the Snowman hitchhiking to Clearlake!"

– Best Choir: Tony Bordessa Construction, The Singing Santa.

– Best Automobile: Rex Claytor, 1932 Ford Roadster.

– Best Costumes: Clearlake Church of the Nazarene, "Away in the Manger" depicted with Shepherd and Angels.

 

– Funniest Group/Float: Cactus Grill "Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer.”

 

– Best Group: Associated Students of Yuba College.

 

– Best Float: Konocti Dance Academy, piled high with dancers of all ages!

 

– Best Use of Lights: Lakeshore Fire Department, brought Santa and Mrs. Claus with Elves to Austin Park.

 

– Most Unique: Elliott Naess, "Pear County Chopper" Kinetic Sculpture Amphibious Tricycle

All of the floats were wonderful this year. The chamber thanks all of the participants for making this parade a huge success!

The following individuals, groups and businesses participated: Clearlake Police Department, Lakeshore Fire Department, Yuba College, Konocti Dance Academy, Elliott Naess, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2337, Clearlake Waste Solutions, Bob Murray and Linda Baker, Clearlake Church of the Nazarene, Lake County Shrine Club, Rick Bonds, Rex Claytor, Lake County Model As, city of Clearlake, Tony Bordessa Construction, Spruce Grove Storage, Shore Line Realty, Aero Airport Shuttle, West Alert, Performance Mechanical, Mendo Mill, Four Corners Building Supply, SC Productions, TV8 and Allen Markowski, Foods Etc., Adamson Ranch, Americorps, Jones and Lewis Memorial Chapel, Walmart, Thomas Hewlett DDS, Wild About Books, Shannon Ridge Tasting Room and Winery and Westamerica Bank.

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