There’s nothing like a spirited parade to get me in the mood for the holidays. The sounds, the lights, the diesel fuel … That’s right. You’ll have to put up with a few fumes to experience Eureka’s 31-year tradition: the Christmas Convoy Trucker’s Parade.
On the second Saturday evening of every December, thousands of people line the streets of Eureka and delight at the spectacle of huge trucks adorned in holiday lights. The Christmas convoys range in size from 50 to 100.
The 18-wheelers, stretching as long as 60 feet, include some with special parade additions that might be tacked on: bandstand platforms, dancing reindeer, flying fish, you name it. Some trucks have been covered in more than 40,000 lights, requiring three generators to run them.
Join in this Eureka tradition, and you’ll never think of Jingle Bells in quite the same way again.
What: The Christmas Convoy Trucker’s Parade followed by holiday carols and cocoa to benefit “The Gulch,” a local teen program
When: Sat., December 11: 6 p.m. parade; 8:30 p.m. cocoa and carols
Where: Redwood Acres Fairgrounds, 3750 Harris Street, Eureka (parade) and Cooper Gulch, 1720 10th Street, Eureka (cocoa fundraiser)
Parade Route: From Redwood Acres Fairgrounds, west on Harris St. to I St., to 7th St. to Myrtle Avenue, and back to the fairgrounds
Cost: Free
For more information, call (707) 443-8896.
There’s holiday cheer to be had all over the North State, so visit the following sites for information about events in eleven north state counties:
Click here for Butte County events.
Click here for Del Norte County events.
Click here for Glenn County Events.
Click here for Humboldt County events.
Click here for Lassen County events.
Click here for Modoc County events.
Click here for Plumas County events.
Click here for Shasta County events.
Click here for Siskiyou County events.
Click here for Tehama County events.
Click here for more Trinity County events.
Adam Mankoski is a recent North State transplant who feels completely at home here. He enjoys experiencing and writing about the people, places and things that embody the free spirit of the State of Jefferson. He and his partner own HawkMan Studios and are the creators of Redding’s 2nd Saturday ArtHop. Email your NorthState weekend events to adamm.anewscafe@gmail.com.
This portrait of Adam Mankoski was created by Shasta High School students Chance Norman and Kenzi Bell.
A News Cafe, founded in Shasta County by Redding, CA journalist Doni Greenberg, is the place for people craving local Northern California news, commentary, food, arts and entertainment. Views and opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of anewscafe.com.
