MONTE VISTA – Approximately 100 people were all smiles and waiting in happy anticipation, as Christmas carolers began to sing at Fullenwider Park on Saturday Dec. 7, at the seventh annual Tree Lighting Ceremony in Monte Vista.

Monte Vista City Manager GiGi Dennis, Mayor Dale Becker and his wife and City Clerk Unita Vance led the event that was followed by the annual Parade of Lights. The event was started by the mayor’s wife Jennifer Becker.

Dennis thanked everyone for attending and spoke about the amazing Christmas lights all over town that have been put up by the city.

“For the past 3 years, the city has asked for some significant donations so that we can continue to build on the Christmas lights. I am so proud of Public Works and the effort that they have put into this. We have put up a few lights that we don’t have electricity to yet, but that’s OK because you will just see lights coming on all year long.”

Dennis thanked the many businesses for their help and participation with the lights.  

Mayor Becker said, “Thank you so much for being here tonight. What a festive time. Seven years into this that I have been involved because of my wife and thank God she has taken this over, because we wouldn’t be doing this,” he said with a chuckle. “Tonight, the crowd has doubled from what it’s been before. The community is coming together, and that is so important. With that being said, thank you to the railroad for coming in, and Rob and Andrew and their crew. Merry Christmas, thank you to everyone for believing in the city and thank you to GiGi because this lady has done so much and pulled it all together.”

The crowd cheered and Jennifer Becker led the countdown from 5 to 1 and the big tree in Fullenwider Park with the star on the top was officially lit up with everyone in the park cheering.

Shortly after, at 6 p.m. hundreds of people lined the downtown streets to watch the spectacular Parade of Lights organized by Jennifer Becker. The theme of the parade was “I am dreaming of a tropical Christmas.”

Roy Aiken was the emcee of the parade led by the Monte Vista Police Department and the Rio Grande County Sherrif’s Office.

Grand marshals Jennifer and Dale Becker drove a side-by-side ATV and smiled and waved to the crowd.

There were many floats and decorated vehicles in the parade, including Waste Management, John Meyers Farm Bureau Insurance, Deb Haverfield and Rocky the Therapy Dog, Monte Vista Coop, Sabor De Vida Café, Monte Vista Ambulance, Monte Vista HeadStart, City of Monte Vista, Polished Edge/Polished Bean, Wilbur-Ellis, Girl Scout Troop 301-04, Monte Vista High School and Middle School bands, and the fire department.

Jennifer Becker was ecstatic about the parade’s entrants and attendance.

“This has by far been the biggest crowd we have seen for the parade ever. We didn’t have a big Parade of Lights, but it was a beautiful parade – it was small but mighty. I was blown away with the entries too. Everyone worked so hard on their floats and their vehicles. Everything was decorated so nicely. I just want to thank everyone involved, all my volunteers, everyone that helped and participated in the parade. I have to say I think this was one of the best parades we have had, and it was so wonderful,” she said.

Jennifer Becker said that although the parade can be a time-consuming event to organize, when she sees the outcome, and is coming down the block at the beginning of the parade, the smiling faces that greet her make it all worth it.

“You see these small children, with these big grins,” she said. “You see these families sitting or huddled together, watching with these huge smiles and wide eyes, and you realize that every single moment you put into this, was so worth it, because you have helped bring your community together and made so many people happy.”

The overall parade winner this year was Wayne’s Printshop with a large, decorated sailboat and Gilligan themed float. In second place was Wilbur-Ellis and in third place was Monte Vista HeadStart.

Becker thanked the following people and businesses for their help – the Valley Church of the Nazarene, City of Monte Vista, GiGi Dennis, Rob Vance and the Public Works Department, Unita Vance, Monte Vista PD, Rio Grande Sheriff’s Office, Monte Vista Fire Department, Valley Publishing, Reina Bowsher, Dale Becker of Wilbur-Ellis, Monte Vista Coop, the Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce, Rhoda Koehn from Sunflour Cafe, Roy Aiken, Cliff Kincannon, Valley Communications, Bob Richards, Santa Claus, and John Meyers, and all of the parade entries and businesses who participated in the window decorating contest too.

Jennifer Becker was ready with next year’s parade theme – “I am dreaming of a red, white, and blue Christmas.”