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Sparks Reign on Holiday Parade
by Brian Simon
The 2001 WNBA world champion Los Angeles Sparks will be the official grand marshals of El Segundo’s 38th annual holiday parade scheduled from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. rain or shine this Sunday. Two players, starting forward Mwadi Mabika and reserve guard Nicky McCrimmon, will greet the community and hoist the team’s championship trophy. The Sparks, along with the LA Lakers and Kings, practice at El Segundo’s Healthsouth Traning Center.
Eight members of the World Championship Los Angeles Laker Girls will also participate, waving to crowds from two Army HumVees.
In honor of the country’s war against terrorism, parade host the El Segundo Chamber of Commerce chose "Let Freedom Ring" as this year’s theme. The US Navy, Army, Air Force and Coast Guard will have entries, lending a strong military presence to the proceedings. The Navy will tug a giant model of one of its battleships, while the Air Force will showcase its marching unit, F-16 mini-jet and two Hummers. A group of DAP (Deputy Auxiliary Police) kids will also be on hand. The Army will display a shrink-wrapped van in addition to its HumVees. In all, there will be 61 entries with participants from all over the South Bay.
Local entrants will include D.A.R.E., Dance West (performing a selection from "The King and I" in conjunction with the El Segundo Recreation and Parks senior drama program), El Segundo Preschool, El Segundo Middle School, El Segundo High School, El Segundo Little League, YMCA, Scouts and various service organizations.
The El Segundo Rotary’s float will carry First Coastal Bank’s Mari Peters posing as the Statue of Liberty. Also in a patriotic vein, the California Skate School will perform in honor of a victim in the Sept. 11 Pennsylvania plane crash who led the heroic effort to divert hijackers. "Let’s roll,." were his last words to fellow passengers before communications shut down.
An array of citizen, city, military and political dignitaries will ride the parade route, which will begin on Main Street at Imperial Highway and continue south to El Segundo Boulevard. El Segundo VIPs will include the mayor and city council members, city staff and department heads, planning and parks commissioners, Chamber president Liz West (who will lead the procession), citizens of the year Craig and Joan Parker, senior citizen of the year Helen Dobos, El Segundo High School Homecoming King and Queen Jeramie Hopson and Alissa Eno, and Miss Teen El Segundo Tawnya Burdick. State Sen. Debra Bowen and Assemblyman George Nakano will also attend. For the first time, a horse-drawn wagonette will tote some of the dignitaries. Food will also be for sale along Imperial--another new feature.
Pre-parade entertainment will commence at 1:45 along Main Street and will include clowns, the South Bay Coastliners vocal quartet and Uncle Sam on stilts. During the event, high school and middle school bands plus drill, dance, spirit and martial arts teams will regale attendees.
As usual, Jim and Jack’s Auto Body has donated parade vehicles. Chevron has provided a fire truck and Santa. These companies, along with the City of El Segundo, Full Moon and High Tide Studios (Roseanne Barr’s production company), Wyle Laboratories and Simply the Best are the parade’s biggest sponsors. Simply the Best owner Ara Gordian will present the dignitaries with a gourmet cake baked by a renowned French chef. Brenda Newman, owner of the Jewelry Source, has coaxed several Main Street businesses to stay open on Sunday to take advantage of the additional foot traffic.
Susan Wycoff, a part-time event planner who is organizing the parade, said the event attracts more than 5,000 people per year, including many from outside of El Segundo. "This promises to be one of the most visually stunning and diverse parades in the town’s history," she said. "It is a huge event for the city and the Chamber has to be commended for making it happen. We would like to invite everyone to attend regardless of denomination. This event brings the community together and reminds people about the importance of being both El Segundoans and Americans." ER