Rain delays Guerneville Parade of Lights, organizers say

Guerneville’s holiday parade, which was scheduled to return this weekend following a two-year hiatus, is being pushed back two more weeks because of expected rainfall, organizers announced.

The Parade of Lights was on tap to take place Saturday night but will instead now happen at 7 p.m. Dec. 17, organizers announced on Facebook Tuesday night.

“I know this is disappointing, but not unexpected and we are hoping that everyone can still be part of the parade,” said Bryan Hughes, chief financial officer of the Russian River Alliance, a nonprofit that supports quality of life in the areas of Guerneville and Cazadero.

The parade was making its return after the COVID-19 pandemic prevented it from taking place. Prior to the pandemic, it was an annual tradition for about 20 years.

The delay is in response to a week of stormy conditions that are supposed to push low temperatures into the 20s on Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.

Sonoma County could receive 2 to 3 inches of rain Thursday before another inch falls Saturday through Sunday afternoon, Crystal Oudit, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Bay Area office in Monterey, said Tuesday night.

The delay has extended the application period for floats, according to the Guerneville parade’s Facebook post.

This year’s parade theme is “A Very Fairy Christmas” and participants are encouraged to use fairy decorations and costumes.

Floats traverse Highway 116 through town and traffic in both directions are rerouted onto side streets, according to an event map.

You can reach Staff Writer Colin Atagi at colin.atagi@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @colin_atagi