Festival in Lights is Tonight

Seven tons of snow has been put in Memorial Park in anticipation of the La Cañada Flintridge Chamber of Commerce and Community Association’s 11th annual Festival in Lights, which starts at 4 p.m. tonight.

“The event gets bigger and better each year. This year we have increased the amount of snow from five tons to seven tons this year,” said LCF Chamber Executive Director Pat Anderson.

In addition to the snow, the two-hour event features live reindeer, Christmas caroling and Santa’s arrival in an antique fire truck as well as performances by Palm Crest Elementary School’s “Melody Makers” and La Cañada High School Chamber Singers.

Perhaps two of the most exciting events that will unfold are the lighting of the gazebo at Memorial Park and the announcement of the Miss La Cañada Flintridge royal court.

The Miss LCF program is co-sponsored by the La Cañada Junior Women’s Cluband the Chamber. Thirty-six La Cañada girls, all high school juniors, applied. The five-member court will be chosen from the 18 finalists at the event.

“I think it’s just an honor to represent the community,” said Nina Browning, a Miss LCF co-chair.

This is the second year that live reindeer, the kind that helps Santa make his rounds every Christmas Eve, will be at the park and available for children to pet.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive aboard an antique fire truck, and Santa will flip the switch that will light up the gazebo. The gazebo will be lit through the holiday season.

Boy Scout Troop 507 will present the colors and musical band Misplaced Priorities will perform during the Thursday night event. The Clauses will hand out candy canes to the little ones and encourage children to tell them what they want for Christmas.

The Chamber pays for the through business dues and fund-raising events that have taken place this year.