Editor, Ceres Courier,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped make the 28th annual Christmas Festival such a successful event!

Record numbers turned out for our festival, enjoying performances by local talent, free refreshments, crafts, face painting, and photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

We expanded our parade this year by bringing back the horse drawn carriage and adding the Ceres Firefighters Local Union 3636 vintage 1949 fire engine and SWAT vehicle to our existing CUSD marching bands and Shane Parson's historic San Francisco trolley car. More residents than ever lit up their homes along Christmas Tree Lane and Caswell Avenue, making for a most impressive display of Christmas cheer!

This festival would not have been possible were it not for a long list of city staff and volunteers. A big thank you to Santa's helpers this year, including: Ceres police, fire, and public works departments, Ceres Senior Citizens Club, CUSD marching bands and dance groups, Ceres VIPS & Explorers, Ceres Youth Commission members, Councilman Ken Lane and his lovely wife Yvette, Drinda Tockey, Edward's Karate for Kids, Footnotes Dance Studio, Steps Dance Arts Center, John Cabral, John Silveira, Mayor Chris Vierra, Victoria Boyington, Northview Subdivision homeowners, Shane Parson and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #10293.

I encourage everyone to take a walk down Christmas Tree Lane to admire the hard work and dedication of the residents of the neighborhood. Once again, many thanks from the Recreation Department. We couldn't have done it without all of you!

Traci Farris,
Recreation Manager,
City of Ceres Recreation Department

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