Traffic, from what I could tell, was not as heavy in downtown as it has been in past years for the parade. I was able to navigate the sidewalks near the square quite easily and we still had plenty of cookies left over after the cookie walk.
I did hear a few people complaining about traffic getting all snarled up for, from what I could tell, it was moving pretty steadily with no noticeable jams or problems, aside from the cars I spotted driving the wrong way on Elm and University.
Just a reminder that the Lights Fantastic parade takes place this Saturday at 6 p.m. Sl Illinois from the North side of the square down to Wall Street and all of the streets crossing it will close at 5 p.m. and reopen at 8. Traffic will flow as normal on South 51 though.
Parade got over suprizingly quickly this year and crowds did not appear as heavy as in past years. Everything was cleared out by a bit after 8 p.m. I did hear preliminary attendance figures were 20,000 attendees, making it the largest crowd in years.
We normally make the store bathrooms available to parade atendees and usually have a dozen or so people take advantage of the offer. This year only 2-3 did. People did get an early start on the Cookie Walk as we had people stopping by storly after three. We did have plenty of cookies and cider left over as I heard a couple of other locations did as well.
Here is a map of this afternoon's cookie walk locations and the street closures for the Lights Fantastic parade, courtesy of the City of Carbondale. Mill Street will close at 3 pm and the rest of the streets will close at 3 p.m and reopen around 8 p.m.
According to the company website and a post on Facebook, Papa John's Pizza will be reopening in its long shuttered location at 602 East Grand Avenue this Saturday, just in time for the Lights Fantastic Parade. Store hours will be 9:30 am to about 2 a.m. with free pizza between 4 and 7 p.m. on Saturday to celebrate the grand reopening.
The annual Lights Fantastic parade takes place Dec 2 with street closure starting at 5 p.m. and probably re-opening about 8 p.m. Illinois, Main and Walnut are all expected to close with detours around the downtown area.
The annual cookie walk through downtown will take place that afternoon and I would expect the annual chili supper in the civic center as well.
Detour signs have been up since before Thanksgiving for the Lights Fantastic parade, which takes place this Saturday . Road closures will start about 5 p.m. and reopen at 8 p.m., with the parade starting at 6 p.m. No word if cars parked on Illinois Avenue will get towed prior to the parade so doubt they will but also do not plan to move your car between 5 and 8.
Just a reminder that the Lights Fantastic Parade takes place tomorrow and downtown streets will start closing at 5 p.m. If you park on S. Illions prior to that, you will need to move your car prior to 5 p.m. as your car will either be towed or stuck there until 8 p.m. when the streets reopen.
Lights Fantastic Floats are lined up in the concert venue on S. Washington St. There are 5 there if I recall correctly and if you want to take a look, they will be there through tonight. I am hoping the powers that be decide to keep them there to brighten downtown until Christmas.
Just a reminder that, although the Lights Fantastic parade is canceled for this year, a number of floats will be parked in the concert venue space on South Washington Street. Viewing starts at 6 p.m. on Dec. 5th and runs through December 6th
Looks like some of the traditional Carbondale Holiday events will take place this season: lighting of the Christmas tree and the downtown cookie walk. In stead of a parade, some of the Lights Fantastic floats will park in the concert venue along South Washington Street. Much like the downtown Trick or Treating event, it appears that Carbondale Main Street will set up tables with cookies in front of participating venues throughout the downtown area and provide a map to those locations. I guess that means the businesses will not be expected to provide their own cookies this year.
Apparently there will also be the traditional Holiday Window Contest as well but have not heard anything about any of these events other than the mention in the Southern.
