Every Sunday after Thanksgiving, Los Altos Downtown transforms into a winter wonderland for the Festival of Lights parade. Christmas lights are switched on, and floats and performance groups begin to walk through the streets. One of the few times every year, the entirety of Los Altos gathers together.

The Festival of Lights has been a Los Altos tradition for 48 years. For many Los Altos High School students, it was a parade they grew up watching. In this November’s parade, it was an opportunity for some to return as performers — a full circle moment.

For senior Luke Byrne, the Festival of Lights is literally a lifelong tradition. His family lived in Los Altos before he was born and attended the parade every year — even reserving their seats in the morning with chalk.

“[The Festival of Lights] was the start of the Christmas season,” Luke said. “There was something so magical in the air. We’d have hot cocoa and food and pizza, and it was always the most fun thing.”

Senior Anastasiia Burachenok echoed the festive sentiment.

“With all the people gathered together and the lights and costumes and music, it gets everyone in the holiday spirit,” Anastasiia said.

Junior Oscar Marek, who now performs with the Marching Band, said the parade’s scale was most impressive when he was younger. 

“All the floats are so huge when you’re a small kid, and just looking up at them was so exciting,” Oscar said. 

Now, for Oscar, the excitement comes from the other side of the street where he is no longer a spectator, but part of the event itself.

Full Circle Moments

Even with a lifetime of parade experience, this was Luke’s first time waking in it. As part of his Acting I class, Luke performed as Winnie the Pooh. As he made his way down the route, he saw reactions that reminded him of his own childhood excitement.

“Some of the little kids lost their minds,” Luke said. “They were literally so shocked and couldn’t believe they were seeing Winnie the Pooh. I remember how it felt when I was a kid looking up at those massive floats, so it felt really full circle to create the same feeling for them.”

Broken Box actor sophomore Mila Hermann, who performed as the Queen of Hearts, felt a similar connection.

“I really liked how colorful it was,” Mila said. “[When I was younger], I thought it was so cool to see all the fantasy characters like Mickey Mouse, and I wanted to wear the big poofy dresses that the princesses were wearing. I was like, ‘I want to do that someday.’”

Several years later, she fulfilled that dream, wearing a costume complete with a crown and a hoop skirt, and acting the part.

“It was fun because I wasn’t just walking in the parade, I was acting like the Queen of Hearts,” Mila said. I was able to improv and say lines to the crowd. One girl was like, ‘Oh my god, you look so beautiful, Queen of Hearts,’ and that really made my day.”

Performing in the Parade

For others, performing in the parade is a several-year tradition. With Fantasy Dance Studio, Anastasiia has been participating for four years. Anastasiia says the experience has become less about the performance and more about the people she shares it with.

“Preparing for the parade always brings me closer to the people I dance with,” Anastasiia said. “Me and my friends have a tradition where we take the same picture every year, and it’s really sentimental to look back on those pictures, especially now since I’ve walked in my last parade.”

As her group performs, Moment Dance Studio member senior Sophie Yung often notices the audience’s reactions.

“I have the opportunity to make people feel special for a moment, which is really meaningful,” Sophie said. “Sometimes I’ll wave at a little kid during a break in the routine, and it’s so fun to see them be in awe. Being part of something that makes so many people happy is so rewarding to me.”

Oscar experiences the same feeling of connection.

“My favorite part is seeing the community come together to create something bigger than individual people,” Oscar said. “The best part of performing with Marching Band is being in this big team and getting to perform in something that I thought was so exciting as a kid.”

The cheer team, in its second year participating in the parade, has also found its own place in the event. In uniform, Santa hats and strings of lights, they walked behind Marching Band and performed shortened versions of their routines. For senior Abby Andrade, it’s a moment tied close to her own childhood.

“I went every year with my family,” Abby said. “I loved watching all the bands go by and seeing the lights. It was just so magical and it was such a big part of my childhood.”

Performing instead of watching this year, she experienced it from a new perspective.

“I’ve been going to this parade for a big portion of my life, and now I’m participating in it and spreading the joy I received as a child,” Abby said. “I love doing that and representing our school and the cheer team.”

A Community Brought Together

Across the experiences of dancers, actors and musicians, the same theme emerged: The Festival of Lights creates a rare moment where the entire community comes together.

“You don’t realize how big the event is until you are actually out there,” Sophie said. “Literally the whole community is coming together, and it’s so special because it’s the only time in the year where everyone gets together.”

And the emotions and feelings from the parade stay even after lights are switched off and floats are packed away.

“I love the festival and the parade so much,” Anastasiia said. “After graduating, I want to come back every year to watch the parade even if I’m not participating in it. There’s really no other event that brings all of Los Altos together like this.”