Thousands of Lights on Parade

We continued our walk around the park where the judging of the floats entered in the APS Electric Lights Parade in Phoenix was taking place.

In yesterday's entry, we covered the requirements for the number of lights that must be on each float and tow vehicle. With the judging taking place the night before the parade, the public had an opportunity to view the floats--and their lights--up close.

One of the prize winners appears in the next five photos.

Mayors Award (Best Use of Theme)
First Place, Community Category

As we walked around these floats, we could see the attention paid to the arrangement of the lights.

Viewed from a crowded sidewalk, lights on the moving floats often appear as a bright mass.

When viewed from a few feet away, the lights are shown to be meticulously positioned and formed around the shapes and figures on the floats.

Now granted there is a downside to seeing just the floats in stationary positions. We miss the movement and composition of a parade. We miss the flow and sounds of the bands, the clubs and organizations (drill teams, baton twirlers, dance groups), and the community businesses and service groups.

Another aspect of this parade was that every float must play theme or Holiday music throughout the parade route.

Another prize winner appears in the next seven photos.

First Place, Non-profit Category

Third Place, Community Category

The photo below shows the detail in the hub of the wheel of the stagecoach in the photo above.

Maybe it's me, but the appearance of Batman in the parade with the theme "Wild West Holiday Roundup" was puzzling.

Shining Star Award