Lighting up the holidays // Richmond kicked off the holiday season last weekend with a plethora of holiday traditions, starting with the 32nd Annual Grand Illumination last Friday in Downtown. Hundreds of people of all ages were warmed by the music and entertainment as they joined the countdown at the James Center at10th and Cary streets for the lighting of Richmond’s skyline and the center’s 46-foot Christmas tree. The tree features more than 4,700 lights, and each building illuminated in Richmond’s skyline has more than 5,000 lights. Revelers also enjoyed entertainment at Main Street Station in Shockoe Bottom.
On Saturday, the holiday joy continued with the 33rd Annual Dominion Christmas Parade along Broad Street in Downtown. Thousands of spectators lined the sidewalks for the event, which featured dozens of bands, floats and entertainment from across the state. The route began at the Science Museum of Virginia and ended at Broad and 7th streets, near the Richmond Coliseum. The parade draws roughly 100,000 spectators yearly and was broadcast live on WTVR-CBS 6.
