Sparks Hometowne Christmas Parade & Festivities Begin This Week |

From the City of Sparks:

For nearly three decades, the City of Sparks has hosted the Sparks Hometowne Christmas parade that now includes a weekend of festive and traditional activities beginning this Friday, December 4 with the annual tree lighting ceremony and ending with the Christmas Parade this Saturday, December 5.

The annual tree lighting ceremony will be held on Friday evening, the night before the parade, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. next to the large gazebo on the corner of Victorian Avenue and Victorian Plaza Circle. The city’s permanent living Christmas tree was installed in 2014. The ceremony will include a festive musical program from local bluegrass group, Westwind and sweet treats from Grimaldi’s Pizzaria. To add to the excitement, the Sparks Rotary will pull the ticket for their $10,000 “Mad Money Raffle” at the ceremony. Mayor Geno Martini will flip the switch for the lights on the tree.

This year’s theme — All Aboard the Hometowne Express! — is a nod to the City's train heritage. The parade route travels from east to west on Victorian Avenue from Pyramid to 16th street and begins at 1:00 p.m..

The Grand Marshal of the Parade is State Senator Debbie Smith. “Debbie’s continued support of the City of Sparks has not gone by unnoticed,” said City of Sparks Mayor Geno Martini. “The strength she’s shown in her personal fight against cancer has been a symbol of perseverance and admiration. It is our honor to celebrate her and her work,” he added. Senator Smith will kick off the parade in style with a classic car from a Hot August Nights member.

The “Mayor’s Own Marching Band,” sponsored by Smile Generation, will be featured in the parade, showcasing the musical talents of Sparks middle school and high school students in a single, mass marching band. Combining the music students from Sparks Middle School, Dilworth Middle School, Shaw Middle School, Sparks High School, Reed High School and Spanish Springs High School, the Mayor’s Own Marching Band is comprised more than 250 students dressed for the season.

To help audience members that require assistance, wheelchair seating area will be provided along the parade route on the northeast corner of 10th & Victorian.

The parade is a centerpiece of a complete day of family friendly activities occurring before and after the procession.

The parade will again act as a donation spot for the fourth annual City of Sparks Toy Drive, sponsored by Nugget Casino Resort. Swire Coca Cola along with the Coca Cola Bear will gather toys for the Toys for Tots organization. Visitors can come to the Saint Mary’s Amphitheater to meet the Coca-Cola Bear at 12:40 p.m to 1:00 p.m. for photos.

Scheels is kicking off the day with a fun run. The Ugly Sweater Run will be held at Scheels at 10:00 a.m. Registration available at Scheels Customer Service. The fee is $20 or New Toy Donation - 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit Toys for Tots.

Santa will greet and visit with children in Santa’s Village in the Train Depot Building at Pyramid and Victorian across from the Museum, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and after the parade from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Boys & Girls Club members will serve as Santa’s helpers and accept either $1 or canned foods for a photo with Santa; money will be donated to the Boys & Girls Club and canned goods to Evelyn Mount’s Community Outreach program.

Returning this year is the Hometowne Community Faire, located in front of the old Silver Club. The faire has booths from local non-profits to promote their mission during this crucial time. Each booth with have information, giveaways and fun activities for kids. “We wanted to carve out space for food drives, holiday blood drives, information on smoke alarms, and our toy drive,” said Francine Burge, Sparks special events supervisor. “It brings it all back home.”

The Sparks Museum & Cultural Center presents Hometowne Sparks Artists, a group exhibition of 10 local watercolor painters. The free exhibit is on display through December 31, and is available to view during open museum hours. The show features the work of Vicki E. Curwen, Laramie Trahern Ford, Eileen Fuller, Nancy Gunderson, Ken Heitzenrader, Erin Logan, Kathy Svets-Martin, Deborah Rife, Annette Terzo, and Kay Tietz. A special reception with hot chocolate and cookies will be held from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. after the parade.

The train display and historic Glendale schoolhouse will be open and free to the public for tours beginning at 10 a.m. until the parade begins.

Radio partners, Cumulus Communications, Lotus Radio, and Shamrock Communications keep the parade moving with announcing/review stands along the route with the “play by play.” The Entravision booth located at 11th and Victorian will have a Spanish translation of the parade review.

Volunteers are the backbone of this event. The parade is laid-out and staged by the volunteers of Hot August Nights. Hot August Nights members also provide all the spectacular cars for the dignitaries as well as course marshals along the parade route. Boys and Girls Club provide the volunteers that take photos for Santa’s Castle. Living Stones Church provides volunteers for the parade announcers and assist with set up and tear down.

City of Sparks’ 4th Annual City-Wide Toy Drive

Last year, the City of Sparks gathered over 400 toys and $500 in donations for the first City-Wide toy drive with Swire Coca-Cola and Toys for Tots. The public can help by bringing a new un-wrapped gift for a child in our community for the City of Sparks Toy Drive sponsored by Nugget Casino Resort. Bring your gift to the Parade, drop it off at one of convenient locations or join in the fun with your favorite tacky Christmas attire with Scheels’ Ugly Sweater Run.

Ugly Sweater Run

Saturday, December 5 at 10:00 a.m.

Registration available at Scheels Customer Service

FEE: $20 OR New Toy Donation

100 percent of the proceeds will benefit Toys for Tots!

Toy Drop Off Locations:

Nugget Casino Resort

Scheels Entry Breezeway

Sparks City Hall

Alf Sorensen Recreation Center

All Walmart, Toys-R-Us and Babies-R-Us locations.

Schedule of Events

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4

6:30 p.m. to 7:00 pm

Complimentary cookies and hot chocolate from Grimaldi’s and Living Stones Church

Music by Westwind

Ticket Drawing for the Sparks Rotary $10,000 Mad Money Raffle

Tree Lighting Ceremony

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5

Ugly Sweater Run at Scheels: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Parade Day Activities: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Santa in Train Depot Building, presented by Boys and Girls Club of Truckee Meadows, 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Community Faire, in front of the former Bourbon Square Casino: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Free Train and Schoolhouse tours: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Free Hometowne Sparks Artists Show in the Museum’s Upstairs Gallery: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (special reception 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. after the parade

Sparks Hometowne Christmas Parade: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Parade Judges

Each parade entrant is judged for theme, originality, personality and presentation. The judging categories are: Best Over All, Business, Vehicle Group, Animals Group, Community Group, Costumed Group, Marching Band, and Float.

Our Judges are the leaders of each of our partner groups:

Mike Whan, Executive Director, Hot August Nights

Mike Wurm, CEO, Boys and Girls Club of the Truckee Meadows

Kyle Bateson, Sparks Church Lead Pastor, Living Stones Church