Christmas Lights Attract San Angeloans to Riverfront

For the 19th year running, the Christmas Tour of Lights on the Concho river kicked off this weekend, with a line of cars snaking up 1st Street to enter between two giant lighted Nutcracker.

Cars, trucks and SUVs rolled through the entrance and were greeted by volunteers from ASU fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi and sorority Tau Beta Sigma. For a $5 donation, cars crammed full of families and friends drive along the river viewing 3 million lights on various displays and themes.

“We do joint things together and just want to service the [ASU] band and do something good for the community,” said volunteer Renee Jackson. Jackson and several others were responsible for greeting guests and accepting donations, passing out mini candy canes to cars full of visitors.

Every night, a different group of volunteers braves the wintry weather to keep the event happening, a mix of businesspeople, students and local organizations that want to contribute to the community.

With the significant drop in temperatures over the past few days, organizers say maintaining a steady stream of volunteers has been difficult over the weekend.

“We’re here every single night for the whole month,” said a Radio Emergency Association Communication Team (REACT) volunteer. “But we need volunteers.”

REACT has been a part of the Tour of Lights since its beginning 19 years ago, and handles traffic direction, turns on and off lights and does minor repairwork as needed. The group is comprised of roughly 20 volunteers that work closely with the police department and assist in emergency situations  as needed to keep things under control and free up officers to remain on the streets.

Their close working relationship with the SAPD extends to the Tour of Lights, where officers monitor the area for deliquents, troublemakers and fence jumpers.

“We’ve been very fortunate,” said a volunteer. “The officers take care of us. They do a great job.”

While REACT works behind the scenes to keep the event up and running, the features of the tour themselves speak volumes of community involvement. Throughout the first half of the tour, giant, decorative Christmas cards wishing good tidings to all line the river drive’s winding left-hand side, while lights depicting the Twelve Days of Christmas illuminate the banks opposite the Concho on the right.

Cars pause and cameras flash at different scenes along the river, while others brave the cold and walk the tour on the river’s paths. The 2 ½ mile tour concludes at El Paseo de Santa Angela, and a $5 donation is suggested for each car of visitors.

“[The donation] goes back into the celebration, to help buy new scenes and electrical work.” explained REACT President David Behrend.

The Tour of Lights is open every night from Dec. 6 to Dec. 31. Cars enter at 1st Street and Abe (street north of the Post Office), and may drive through from 6 to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and from 6 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays.