Las Cruces business owner hosts non-city sanctioned light parade

Jacqueline Devine
Las Cruces Sun-News
Floats ride down the street at the annual Las Cruces Electric Light Parade near Apodaca Park on Wednesday, June 3, 2019.

LAS CRUCES – Las Cruces community members will get to enjoy an electric light parade after all, thanks to Rudy Tarin, a Las Cruces business owner, who is organizing an independent parade after the City of Las Cruces announced its annual Electric Light Parade will go virtual this year to prevent further spread of the coronavirus.

The parade will begin at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, July 3. 

Tarin, who owns Twisted Wrenches Automotive and Diesel Performance, 815 N. Mesquite St., said he wanted to give back to the community during these difficult times.

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"Since I own a business, my intentions were already planning to participate in this year’s light parade by either having a float or entry. That's when myself and another local business owner said to try and do something on our own," Tarin said. "We’re just trying to do something to make life feel like it’s a little bit back to normal. Being locked down is rough on people. It's nice to give back."

City, LCPD aware of event 

Tarin said he spoke with city officials and the Las Cruces Police Department about the event before organizing it. 

Floats ride down the street at the annual Las Cruces Electric Light Parade near Apodaca Park on Wednesday, June 3, 2019.

"We looked at getting a permit and police escort and so forth, but with COVID-19, the process to get a permit was almost impossible. We did reach out and speak to the mayor and he didn’t say no. He wanted us to give him information on what we were doing. We got all the information together and sent it to him, and we really haven’t heard anything," Tarin said. "We also tried to get a police escort, but we couldn't afford it. It was too much money for us to try and come up with for a couple of people who are just trying to have something for the community."

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Tarin said he was contacted by LCPD to obtain more information about the event. 

"They (LCPD) wanted to verify what was going on and what our intentions were, and I gave them our route plan and all the information, to the best of my ability," Tarin said. "When I spoke to the police, they said as long as we obey all traffic laws, that it was OK, and they thought the plan was alright." 

More of a cruise than a parade

Since no official permit was issued, Tarin said the event is more of a cruise than a parade. 

"We’re not going to block traffic or stop traffic or anything like that," he said. "We’re going to have all registered vehicles, all insured, and we have to abide by all traffic laws. We can’t have anything like a normal parade — (which) would have pedestrians walking. We also don't want to create chaos. Just like the birthday parades, we’ll just cruise along and if traffic stops then the person behind will try and catch up if they can."

Spectators watch the annual Las Cruces Electric Light Parade  near Apodaca Park on Wednesday, June 3, 2019.

Tarin said about 20 vehicles will be participating in the event and is encouraging people to social distance. 

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"People should already be social distancing. But yes, social distancing and face masks are encouraged," Tarin said. "There will be no random mixing of parties in any of the vehicles. We're trying to do it as respectful as possible."

The route 

Tarin said the route will begin at the intersection of University Avenue and Solano Drive at 8:30 p.m. and will proceed north along Solano Drive until arriving at Apodaca Park. 

"We will gather on University Avenue and the route will begin at the University exit and drive north on Solano up until Madrid — near the Apodaca Park area — and that’s where we will not continue as a parade and we’ll disperse ourselves," Tarin said. "Because of the whole coronavirus thing, I don’t want to promote people to gather, but I know that people will like to go out and enjoy it so they’re more than welcome to find somewhere to view it safely."

For more information on the Fourth of July Light Parade, visit facebook.com/events/319492485719580/.

Jacqueline Devine is the trending and entertainment reporter at the Las Cruces Sun-News and can be reached at 575-541-5476, JDevine@lcsun-news.com or @JackieIsDevine on Twitter.