ALAMOSA — Alamosa Round-UP is moving its annual light parade to the Saturday, December 23, and is expanding the event to include activities during the day including the 1st Annual “Round-UP Rudolph Run” 5K, run, jog, walk or stroll.

Folks are encouraged to dress up and have a fun time spreading Christmas fun and joy with this new event, which will start and end at Cole Park in Alamosa. It will be professionally timed, but that doesn’t mean it has to be all serious. There will be prizes for best costume, as well as fastest times in each age group.

Participants can sign up at www.imathlete.com under Round-UP Rudolph Run.  They must be signed up by December 1st to be guaranteed a T-shirt.  Sign ups will also be available the day of the race, starting at 1:30 p.m.

The race is co-sponsored by SLV Sports and Wellness, CRC Farms and The Alamosa Round-UP. The 5K Round-UP Rudolph Run will begin at 3 p.m.

The 7th Annual Alamosa Christmas Light Parade will be at 6 p.m. on Main Street in downtown Alamosa. The floats will travel down Main Street as normal, but then proceed to Cole Park, where they can plug into electricity for display. 

Organizers are expecting more than 25 floats this year. Every year they get bigger and brighter. Following the parade, the floats will continue on to Cole Park where they will be displayed for up-close viewing. There will also be hot chocolate, food vendors and music.

The parade is sponsored by The City of Alamosa, Rocky Mountain SER, Alamosa Local Marketing Board, Honeycutt Rodeo and The Alamosa Round-UP.

All the details and entries forms are on The Alamosa Round-UP Facebook Page.

Del Norte parade is Friday

Get warmed up for Alamosa’s parade of lights with Del Norte’s event this week. The 2017 Parade of Lights in Del Norte will be held this Friday, December 1 at 6 p.m. and will be followed by fireworks. Also, don’t miss the merchant open houses from 5-8 p.m. and Santa Claus at the High Valley Community Center following the parade in Del Norte.

MV hosts festival

Enjoy more lights this weekend during the Monte Vista Holiday Festival on Friday, December 1 and Saturday, December 2. The parade of lights in Monte Vista will be Saturday evening, Dec. 2 at 6 p.m.

Friday from 12-7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., the Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce will host a holiday bazaar at the Church of Nazarene gymnasium, 1106 2nd Ave. Contact Jerry at 852-2731. Friday morning the Monte Vista Kids Connection will host a community appreciation breakfast and ribbon cutting ceremony at 8 a.m. at 134 Washington St.  At 7 p.m., don’t miss the Ugly Christmas Sweater Dodgeball Tournament at Ski Hi. Contact 852-2692, ext. 113.

On Saturday enjoy breakfast with Santa at Stars Restaurant from 8-11 a.m. (cost is $5/children and $7/adults). Santa’s Workshop will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for children in kindergarten through fifth grade at 134 Washington St. At 2 p.m. enjoy a free matinee of Polar Express at the Vali 3 Theater.  The Memorial Tree Lighting and Prayer will light up Monte’s Corner at 5 p.m. on Saturday followed by parade of lights at 6 p.m. and fireworks. The parade route will begin at Stars & Strikes. Junior class parents will be selling hot cocoa and s’mores. Come by the Monte Vista Kids Connection for North Pole with Santa.

Caption: Ef’s Restaurant and The Five Star Riders Club won first place during the Christmas Light Parade in 2016. Look for even more entries this year. Courier file photo by Jefferson Geiger