By: Adriana Avila, Staff Reporter
This year, the Nob Hill Shop and Stroll has partnered with the Twinkle Light Parade to save resources, said Special Events Manager Eric Werner.
The Nob Hill Merchants Association and Nob Hill Main Street usually organize the Shop and Stroll while the City of Albuquerque organizes the Twinkle Light Parade. Werner said it would be more efficient to combine the events because each uses the same resources.
“There were two events that had to close Central, so by combining it we would be combining resources and we could also combine resources when it comes to promotion and marketing and the economic impact,” said Werner.
The Shop and Stroll is usually on a Thursday but this year it will take place on Saturday, Dec. 1 from noon to midnight.
Central Avenue will be closed from San Mateo Boulevard to Girard Boulevard. Vehicles parked on Central Avenue near shopping areas after noon will be towed.
The parade used to be downtown but the groups decided to try something new. Werner said bringing the events to different areas of the city is great and by combining them it would be the biggest event in the city.
Both the Twinkle Light Parade and the Nob Hill Shop and Stroll attract thousands of people separately. The parade can bring up to 30,000 spectators and the Shop and Stroll about 10,000 shoppers, said Werner.
“It would make more sense to bring the events’ thousands of people to one area and encourage them to do their holiday shopping and promote their economic development to Nob Hill,” said Werner.
Shop and Stroll will have traffic-free shopping and there will be live entertainment such as mariachi bands along with the shopping deals.
Werner said the parade will begin at 5:15 p.m. at Washington Street and head west to Girard Boulevard.
He said there will be 100 floats from a variety of groups. There will be several church groups and organizations participating in the parade. There are also some unafiliated groups who have decided to join the parade and design their own float.
“The biggest attraction is going to be the Santa float which is always the very last float in the parade,” said Werner, “Families come out and the kids always love to see Santa, so that’s always great.”
He said there are several groups represented in the parade and there is always something in the parade for everyone.
The parade has been presented for more than 25 years. It became the Twinkle Light Parade nine or 10 years ago, said Werner.
The parade was originally in Rio Rancho, but the Joiner family brought it to Albuquerque and named it the Twinkle Light Parade, he said.
There are about 33 restaurants, cafes, pubs and other eateries and more than 50 stores located throughout Nob Hill.
