11th annual Parade of Lights coming Saturday

One of Carson Valley's brightest celebrations of the holiday season will take to the streets during the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitor's Authority 11th Annual Parade of Lights" at 5 p.m. Saturday. Residents and visitors will line Highway 395 between Lampe Park in Gardnerville and downtown Minden to watch dozens of colorfully decorated floats.

This annual event is a parade of lights with floats, autos, animals, individuals, and other creative mobile objects, decorated with light or illumination from battery packs, generators, flashlights, glow sticks, or other means. The event is designed to provide quality family entertainment for Carson Valley and encourages local groups and businesses to show off their festive spirit.

The grand marshal is Don Bently, chairman and chief executive officer, Bently Pressurized Bearing Co.

Bently is perhaps best known as founder of Bently Nevada Corporation, the world's leading supplier of condition monitoring instrumentation and services, a $250 million business that he sold to GE Power Systems in January 2002.

The parade route will start at Lampe Park, go north on Highway 395, turn left on Esmeralda Avenue, around Minden Park, and will conclude on Mono Street. The highway will close at approximately 4:30 p.m. so stake out your spot well in advance.

Applications to enter a float, whether it be by horse, on foot, or motorized, are available at the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce at 1477 Highway 395 in Gardnerville or online at www.carsonvalleynv.org. Entry fee is $35.

Award categories are youth, county, service club/non-profit, business and best overall. For information, contact the chamber at 782-8144.