Lighting Up Lorain

Downtown Lorain was illuminated with holiday cheer on Nov. 29 when Light Up Lorain kicked off the holiday season.

A week ago parade orga-

“We are coordinating with the Metro Parks, Trees and Trains, Lorain Growth, Follow the Fish and other civic organizations to revitalize what is going on here on the water front and in downtown Lorain ”

Paul Biber, Light Up Lorain coordinator

nizers worried about the turnout to the event, but those fears were laid to rest as the streets swelled with people that came to watch the parade pass through downtown.

The parade was made up of community business members, Lorain Titans JROTC and marching band and others that came to show their support for the city.

Special guests in the parade included Slider, the Cleveland Indians mascot as well as Mickey and Minnie Mouse and Lorain’s very own Santa Claus from Mrs. Claus’ Kitchen and Santa’s Toyland.

“It was an amazing night, Lorain resident Andrea Vazquez said. “We brought the whole family out.”

“A lot of different businesses were in the parade and it’s good that they show their support for our city.”

Food trucks lined the

streets, giving visitors a chance to grab a bite to eat and hot chocolate was served at the Cocoa Chateau, coordinator Paul Biber said.

“We are coordinating with the Metro Parks, Trees and Trains, Lorain Growth, Follow the Fish and other civic organizations to revitalize what is going on here on the water front and in downtown Lorain,” Biber said.

According to Biber, most of the decorations that can be seen downtown are handmade by local artists and the idea is to follow in the mold of areas like Tremont and other places that use the arts as a tool for economic development.

The decorations lined both sides of Broadway, covering store windows and bringing the holiday into the heart of downtown.

“I think this has been a really exciting night, it has been an opportunity for everybody to see the vibrancy and the life of downtown Lorain,” Joan Perch, Follow the Fish chairperson, said. “Everybody has put forth a lot of effort to make this beautiful and successful.”

Perch said that everyone involved in Light Up Lorain is very committed to downtown.

“It is a great location and we are proud to be part of it,” she said.

Drew Scofield/dscofield@morningjournal com Cleveland Indians mascot Slider made an appearance during Light Up Lorain as part of the parade that traveled through downtown.