The City of Turlock’s first-ever Christmas Cruise on Friday night provided plenty of holiday cheer for vehicles passing through — and some long traffic jams.
Community members, businesses and organizations were able to set up lighted displays at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds this year in lieu of floats after the annual downtown Christmas Parade was cancelled due to COVID-19. According to Parks, Recreation and Public Facilities Director Allison Van Guilder, it is estimated that over 1,000 vehicles made their way through the Christmas Cruise which featured 33 festive participants.
“As we know, due to COVID, the traditional downtown Christmas Parade was cancelled. We believe the Christmas Cruise at the fairgrounds provided a safe alternative for those seeking holiday activities,” Van Guilder said. “Based on the feedback from those who experienced the event and the organizations who participated, we believe it was a huge success.”
Those who were able to make it into the event before the gates closed at 8:30 p.m. were able to experience a winter wonderland complete with machines blowing fake snow and Santa Claus himself. The Christmas Cruise was sponsored by Turlock Firefighters Local 2434, who were able to collect five blue barrels filled with food and toys for Turlock Together during the event.
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