The single firework explodes over downtown, signaling the start to the annual spectacle that is the Snowdown parade. The flagship Snowdown event, this year’s parade will see 60 floats and more than 500 participants. But if you’re in the parade, organizers ask you leave the kegs and tiki torches at home./File Photo

White lights, strange city

Behind the scenes with the organized chaos that is the Snowdown parade

by Joy Martin

When you’re stumbling out of Moe’s from the Human Pac Man experience, working up the energy to tackle Chapman Hill for the Uphill/Downhill Challenge, and you hear a loud BANG! and a cheer arise from the crowd of 10,000 gathered along Main Avenue, do not flee. It’s just the lone Snowdown Firework kicking off Durango’s 38th annual Snowdown Light Parade.

“It’s the largest event in the community year-round by a mile,” parade organizer Chip Lile says.

With more than 60 floats (including balloons and fire trucks) and 500 participants (not including the animals), the Snowdown Light Parade travels North from Fifth Street along Main Avenue past thousands of people from Durango, Farmington, Phoenix and beyond.

Judges mix and mingle with the spectators as floats bedecked in flair, radiating the neon spirit of Snowdown, amble past at the speed of walking. Smiles, impromptu dance parties, singing and swag distribution fill the cold air as participants strut their stuff for awards such as the “Mayor’s Choice Float,” the best “What the *%&# Was That” float and more, including the McDonald’s Jr. King and Queen Float. 

“The McDonald’s float has been there since day one,” says Lile, who’s seen no less than 34 Snowdown parades. “Cathy Bowser has been on every single one.”

Bowser, aka “McBowser,” has worked at the Durango McDonald’s since 1981 and played a role in the McDonald’s Snowdown float ever since.

“It’s so cute,” McBowser, 67, says of the parade. “I always get such a kick out of it, even though I’ve never gotten to watch one. I’m always on the float!”

No matter the conditions, the crowd is always enthusiastic, she says. “It’ll be cold, ugly, snowy or rainy out, and just tons of people still show up. You see everyone walking around in their costumes. An ’80s theme! Can you imagine?” 

Parade-hopefuls start submitting float applications as early as Thanksgiving, says Lile, who’s been busy organizing the chaos since September. It’s rare for him to turn down a float idea, so long as they’re using common sense and, most importantly, so long as they’re using lights. Lots of lights.     

“This is a light parade, first of all,” says Lile. “I want people to look down the street and see an insane amount of lights. People should be waving lights, and not just the participants but also the spectators. After all, it’s at night. In the dark. A float with no lights is so annoying. What are they thinking? And headlights don’t count.”

As dusk settles in, just before 6 p.m. when the firework is set to be lit, Lile’s sister roves down Fifth Street checking every float, making sure participants are presenting the float that was in their entry form.

“I don’t want someone showing up with tiki torches, if that’s not what they applied for,” says Lile, adding that every year, he has to ask people to limit the use of fire.

While his sister checks the entrants, Lile meanders through the staging area with a police officer, making sure participants are fit to walk the line.

“We’re not New Orleans,” says Lile. “Just because it’s the parade doesn’t mean all of a sudden it’s OK to have open beers or kegs on your float. Drinking in public is still against the law. That’s city ordinance.”

Fire is an ever-present theme in the Light  Parade. However, before attempting advanced moves such as these, make sure you have clearance from parade organizers and the fire marshal./ File Photo

Another city ordinance is a “No Throwing Things from Floats” policy that was put in place 25 years ago after someone got their eye poked out from a whirling piece of candy.

“Snowdown’s not being the downer,” says Lile. “It’s  the city of Durango that keeps good rules in place so 4 it’s s fun for all. It’s my responsible to be the bad guy. It’s not the police being bad guys. Either you stop when I tell you, or (the police officer) tells you, and you’re not going to like how he handles it.”

In case you’re wondering, law enforcement is not going to go undercover as one of the thousand David Bowies roaming the street. They’ll look more like characters from “Chips” or “Hill Street Blues.” 

 “Unfortunately, we have to be in uniform,” Community Events Supervisor Mike Kelly says, adding that parking closures for Fri., Jan. 29 will be in effect before and during the parade, so the best way to get downtown is via public transportation.

“We’re marking everything in advance, so note that from Park Elementary to Main on Fifth Street, and then Main from Fifth to 13th Street will all be no parking. The parade staging area will be closed entirely at 3 p.m., and the whole parade route is closed at 4.” 

Law enforcement is the biggest expense of the parade’s $6,500 budget. The parade, which is run by no less than 100 volunteers, raises the money through float entries ($65 each), sponsorships and T-shirt and hat sales.

For Lile, whose real job is running El Rancho with brother Chris, successful parade coordination involves a knack for organizing people, building trust with the city and law enforcement, ensuring the event is safe, and getting feedback from businesses to uncover “the good, the bad, and the ugly of what works and what doesn’t.”

“Every year we try to tackle one of many crowd problems,” says Lile, now in his fourth year as parade coordinator. “But to keep order is the big thing.”

His primary focus this year is clean up after the parade. A community effort, he adds.

“If you see trash, pick it up,” says Lile. “Or, even better, don’t throw stuff down. Every year people say, ‘they should do this or that.’ Well, there is no ‘they.’ The ‘they’ is you. The city doesn’t run the parade. It’s run by volunteers. The ‘they’ is us, the people who watch.”

Another chief motivator for being on your best behavior at this mobile soiree is that the fire marshal has ultimate say in if the parade is a go or no. If she sees something unsafe, it gets shut down. Otherwise, there’s no reason to cancel, says Lile. Especially not for snow.

“One year, it was snowing right before the parade, and I actually had  a reporter come up and ask me, ‘Are you going to cancel the parade because of the snow?’ I just looked at her. I don’t see why we would cancel a winter carnival that’s about snow because of snow. Now, if there was 2 feet and it was dangerous, maybe. You know, if children were falling down and people were getting buried and such.”

This year, Lile is also serving his first term as president of the Snowdown Board of Directors, an honor that has only been held by four others since the inception of the festival nearly 40 years ago. For Lile, the volunteer position is a lifetime dream come true. 

“My dream is to have Snowdown year-round,” says Lile. “Or something like it every month of the year.”

This year’s frosty fête features 145 events, including 20 family friendly events and 19 new events.

“The original goal of Snowdown was to help the entire community in the cabin-fever part of the season. You know, give businesses a bump when it’s typically slow, benefit nonprofits, build community. It just spilled into everybody doing fun things. Snowdown makes Durango what we all love,” says Lile.

He adds with a laugh, “Imagine if people would care about other things in the community like they care about Snowdown. They’re just a bunch of freaks. If you give Durango a reason to dress up in a costume, they always will.”

No, he’s not sure what he’ll be this year and has zero worry of ever running out of costumes for future Snowdowns.  “I have people for that,” says the delegator.