What to know about East Peoria's Parade of Lights: Budweiser Clydesdales, start time and more
Bright floats by the dozen and the Budweiser Clydesdales will travel through East Peoria during the Parade of Lights at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18. The parade will kick off the 39th annual East Peoria Festival of Lights.
The parade will feature about 30 illuminated floats, including Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, a 160-foot steam train and the "Star Trek" themed USS East Peoria.
In addition, the Budweiser Clydesdales will join the parade for the first time since 2019. The Clydesdales appearance will feature a 10-horse team pulling the iconic red, white and gold Budweiser beer wagon with a Dalmatian mascot seated next to the driver. The appearance of the Clydesdales is contingent on the weather.
More: The Budweiser Clydesdales visited Peoria in 2023
How long is the Festival of Lights parade in East Peoria?
The approximately 2-mile parade will begin at East Washington Street and Dolans Lane and travel along Washington Street, turning right onto Taylor Street and ending at the post office. A downloadable map of the parade route is available at folepi.org.
Where can you park for the Festival of Lights parade?
Parking will be available at the Festival Building, 2200 E. Washington St.; East Peoria Community High School, 1401 E. Washington St.; Fon du Lac Park District Administration Building, 201 Veterans Drive; and Central Junior High School on Taylor Street. A limited number of handicapped parking spots will be available along Taylor Street. Vehicles parked at the junior high school or along Taylor Street must remain parked until the Santa Claus float has passed by, marking the end of the parade.
What streets close for the Parade of Lights?
Springfield Road will be closed to traffic from Taylor Street to North Main Street from 5:45 p.m. Saturday until 4 p.m. Monday. Taylor Street and the roads along the Washington Street route of the parade will be closed to traffic at 5:45 p.m. Saturday.
Where can you stream the Festival of Lights parade?
The Parade of Lights will be broadcast live on WMBD-TV and streamed live at CIPROUD.com as well as at the East Peoria Festival of Lights Facebook page.
When does East Peoria's Festival of Lights open?
The floats will then be on display at the Folepi’s Winter Wonderland drive-through attraction, which opens Friday, Nov. 24, and runs nightly through Jan. 1. Admission is $10 for cars, $30 for small buses (party, shuttle, mini, school), and $150 for full-size buses. Hours are 5-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Hours are 5-9 p.m. Dec. 24 to Jan. 1.
Information about the Festival of Lights
Additional information is available at folepi.org or the East Peoria Festival of Lights Facebook page.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: 2023 Parade of Lights in East Peoria: Budweiser Clydesdales
