ADOT shines in the Electric Light Parade
ADOT shines in the Electric Light Parade
Since the late 1980s, the APS Electric Light Parade has lit up Central Phoenix every December with festive celebrations of holiday spirit.
This year, though, marks the return of ADOT’s presence in the annual tradition.
“I’ve been here since 1996, and to my knowledge that’s the last time ADOT was in the parade,” said Mesa Maintenance Supervisor Jerry Turner. “We’re gonna make this look good.”
Jerry and his crew of five worked overnight for five days during the week leading up to the parade, preparing two floats.
The first was a snowplow decked out in white lights and red trim, symbolizing ADOT clearing the way for Santa’s sleigh.
The snowplow was the first of ADOT’s floats in the parade, followed by the grand statement: ADOT’s own interpretation of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. A 45-foot-long flatbed trailer provided the support for a manufactured ramp that doubled as the nine reindeer guiding Santa’s sleigh into the night sky.
Thousands of lights and yards upon yards of garland adorned the extravagant float, which traveled at a leisurely5 miles per hour along the parade route to the tune of Gene Autry classics.
But before that could happen, a day before the parade, Jerry and his crew hit the road at midnight and made the 23-mile drive from the Mesa Maintenance Yard to the start of the parade route at Central Avenue and Bethany Home Road in Phoenix.
“A snail’s pace,” Jerry remarked. “We don’t want to lose any deer!”
When the crew arrived at the vast parking lot of the North Phoenix Baptist Church, some last-minute adjustments were made. This included styling the inside of the flatbed’s wheels with lights and placing some Christmas gifts on top of the sleigh.
During the parade, Jerry’s crew was joined by three elves who rode in the sleigh and more than 20 ADOT volunteers walked the 2.5-mile parade route and handed out treats and goodies to the folks lined up to watch the festivities.
ADOT was just one of dozens of organizations with bright, colorful floats lighting up Central Phoenix for this annual tradition.
Will ADOT have a place in the parade again next year?
“I hope so,” said Jerry with a smile