Crowds celebrate holiday cheer with bands, floats, snow slides, and festive Victorian decor
PASO ROBLES — The morning rain cleared just in time to welcome crowds of people to Vine Street for the 38th annual Vine Street Victorian Showcase. On Saturday, Dec. 14, Vine Street was closed to vehicles and opened itself to families from all over the Central Coast.
At 6 p.m. — just before the event truly kicked off — a procession made its way down the street. The Paso Robles High School Band marched through, followed by the Paso Robles Area Historical Society’s trolley carried City Council members and their family members.
“I think it’s fun for us to be able to share the holiday cheer,” Paso Robles High School Band Director Humberto Cera told Paso Robles Press. “It sounds kinda cheesy, but we definitely enjoy being able to bring that to the town. It makes us feel more connected as a school and as Paso Robles citizens.”
The PRHS band has participated in the Vine Street procession for a number of years. This year, between 60 and 70 students participated from holding the “Bearcat” shields, the color guard, and then the band members.
The band played two songs — “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and then an arrangement of “All I Want for Christmas is You” that Cera put together.
Cere says there has been a lot of growth in the band program recently.
“This is my fifth year at the high school, and we’re probably twice the size of when I came in five years ago,” Cera said. “So it’s a lot of growth, a lot of community support, a lot of support from the school. We’re going out and doing competitions and festivals, and the students are successful.”
For the past 38 years, crowds have drawn from all over the Central Coast to see the community’s most looked-forward-to Christmas event of the year. For one night only, the streets between 8th and 21st transform into a Hallmark movie wonderland as thousands of people gather to walk Vine Street and witness all the Victorian homes decorated for Christmas.
The Highlands Church brought in real snow to create a snow slide. For about 15 years, the Highlands Church has been bringing in tons of snow for the community to experience. Set builder and Paso Robles resident Greg Hamlin lent a hand and his skills to build the snow slide this year. Thanks to Kia of Paso Robles car dealership and their generous donation, the Highlands Church was able to pay for the snow and bring it into the community.
Coast Pipe made its second appearance with its award-winning parade float. During the Christmas Light Parade on Saturday, Dec. 7, Coast Pipe won the Sweepstakes Award. Their lighted semi truck and welded stall and float made quite an impression for the business’s first time ever participating in the parade.
“This has been an exciting experience for our whole team. It’s a project that everyone has been excited about and involved in,” said Kyle Basti of Coast Pipe. “We’re very excited that we took the Sweepstakes Award.”
Homes and businesses spanning the 13 blocks welcomed guests with music, cocoa, and entertainment. The Vine Street Victorian Showcase is just one part to a notable holiday legend in Paso Robles. It all starts in November with Elegant Evening which is put on by the downtown businesses to get everyone in the holiday spirit by shopping downtown and kick off the holiday season. The following weekend is the Downtown Lighting Ceremony, where Mrs. Claus flips a switch that lights up all the trees in the downtown park. Following the downtown lighting, there is the Christmas Light Parade and then the Victorian showcase. Co-founder of the event and executive director of the Paso Robles Main Street Association Norma Moye was inspired by her own Victorian home to create the event.
Next for Paso Robles holiday events is the 34th Annual Victorian Teddy Bear Affair on Saturday, Dec. 21, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Park Ballroom. Bring your teddy bear, dress him up. Santa, Mrs. Claus, the Snow King and Queen as well as Santa’s Elves will be there for the fun. For more information and tickets, visit pasoroblesdowntown.org/downtown-event/32nd-annual-victorian-teddy-bear-tea/
Features Image: One of the houses is shown off during the Vine Street Victorian Showcase on Saturday, Dec. 14. For the 38th year, people walked Vine Street to witness all the Victorian homes decorated for Christmas. Photo by Camille DeVaul
