RHE Annual Parade Of Lights On Tonight
• Peninsula residents are set for today’s annual parade and a wide variety of holiday shows and events this weekend and next.
As the holiday season approaches, the City of Rolling Hills Estates prepares its annual Parade of Lights to showcase the many different groups in the Palos Verdes community.
Parade Grand Marshal this year is tennis professional Tracy Austin.
The Community Grand Marshal is citizen of the year Jackie Crowley, and the Celebrity Grand Marshal is actor and Peninsula High School’s football coach, Larry Joe Campbell.
The parade features performances from various high school and middle school bands, Boy and Girl Scouts, cheer teams, floats, equestrians and antique cars.
“I grew up in a small town in Northern Michigan, and we had parades and fairs, and we all loved and supported them,” Campbell said. “I am most looking forward to the community coming out and having fun, waving, laughing and taking in the joy of the holiday season. I not only love this time of year, but also the small town feel of our community and the interaction among one another.”
While the groups march down Silver Spur Road and Deep Valley Drive and through the Promenade on the Peninsula, judges will be watching and once the parade is over will distribute awards to the parade units. 
Along with the judges and hundreds of spectators, the parade will be filmed on Frontier FiOS Channel 39 and Cox Cable TV Channel 35, with parade announcers Michele Swanson, Brenda Barnes and Mike Whitehead.
Peninsula High’s cheer, song and pep squads will be walking in the parade along with other high school and middle school groups.
“I am really excited to be performing in the Parade of Lights because it is a tradition,” Ana Willoughby said. “It really gets us in the holiday spirit and is a great way for our team to bond together.”
Peninsula’s marching band will also be performing as they do every year, bringing some holiday season songs along with them. This year the Palos Verdes High School marching band, as well as middle school musicians, will join the parade.
“It is really exciting to be playing with PV High band in the parade because I am able to see some of my friends who had gone to that school,” said Kevin Hirokawa. “Also, having some intermediate school band member’s play with us is a great opportunity to have the kids exposed to what they could expect if they were to join the marching band of one of the two schools.”
Along with the band performances, many volunteers from Las Hermanas, Los Hermanos, Assisteens, Las Ninas, and more will be there. The volunteers carry banners along the parade route and make sure the event runs smoothly.
“I am really excited to be volunteering in the parade,” said Loren Kim. “I love seeing all the lights and everyone smiling while watching all the amazing performances.”
The parade also allows local businesses to participate by decorating their commercial transports and driving it through the Promenade.
The parade is sponsored by the shops in and near the Promenade including El Pollo Inka, Keller Williams Realty, Rolling Hills Dental Group and more.
The presenting sponsor this year is Premier Bank of Palos Verdes. These sponsors all contribute to make the parade the most festive it can be. The holiday parade is a way for local businesses and the whole community to share an event-filled evening with performances and lights.
