33rd ANNUAL XTO ENERGY PARADE OF LIGHTS MOVING TO SUNDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING ON NOVEMBER 22, 2015
July 20,2015
The 33rd annual XTO Energy Parade of Lights will now kick off the holiday season the Sunday before Thanksgiving – November 22, 2015 – improving parade access and parking to all in attendance.
“After surveying downtown shops and restaurants, street seat purchasers, parade participants, and sponsors, the XTO Energy Parade of Lights was strategically moved to the Sunday before Thanksgiving,” said Andy Taft, president of Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. “We think this move will make it quicker and easier for parade attendees to park and access downtown and improve the overall experience. We are thankful for the support received from the Fort Worth community, and especially from our title sponsor, XTO Energy.”
Knowing that the parade is considered an annual tradition for many families, event organizers at Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. were also mindful of the local independent school districts’ academic calendars when discussing the new date.
“We believe the Sunday night parade will work well for families considering Fort Worth and Arlington schools will be closed during the week of Thanksgiving and students will not have school the next day,” said Larry Anfin, chairman of the Festivals and Events Committee for Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. “Sundays are always a day to spend with your family, and this will give parade-goers the opportunity to build a new tradition before everyone gets busy with other holiday events and activities.”
The 2015 XTO Energy Parade of Lights will begin at 6 p.m. on Sunday, November 22, and will mark the city’s official kickoff to the holiday season. The theme for this year’s parade will be “Let The Season Begin,” and more than 100 professionally-designed-and-produced floats (each with more than 12,000 lights), brilliant antique cars, lively marching bands, precision equestrian units, decorated horse-drawn carriages, and casts of carolers will stroll through the 1.58-mile parade route.
First staged in 1983 by Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc., the Parade of Lights began as a means to help change perceptions of Fort Worth’s Central Business District. At that time, stakeholders realized that a unifying event – such as the Parade of Lights – would provide an opportunity for residents and visitors alike to see Downtown as a place of celebration, entertainment, fun and relaxation. Now known as one of the top illuminated parades in the U.S., it has grown from 25 entries in 1983 to more than 100 entries and thousands in attendance today.
For additional event information, visit the XTO Energy Parade of Lights’ website at www.FortWorthParadeOfLights.org, “like” its Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/ParadeofLightsFW, or follow it on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/Paradeof_Lights.
ABOUT THE XTO ENERGY PARADE OF LIGHTS
XTO Energy Inc., a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation, is the Title Sponsor of the 33rd annual XTO Energy Parade of Lights, which is produced by Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. Additional 2015 sponsors include Sundance Square, GM Financial, Hilton Fort Worth, and Atmos Energy. Media Sponsors include the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 98.7 K-LUV (KLUV-FM), 92.1 HANK FM (KTFW-FM), and 95.9 The Ranch (KFWR-FM). For more information, visit www.FortWorthParadeofLights.org, www.Facebook.com/ParadeofLightsFW, or www.Twitter.com/ParadeOf_Lights.
ABOUT DOWNTOWN FORT WORTH INITIATIVES, INC.
Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization formed in 1988 to complement the work of Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. and the Public Improvement District by providing a funding pathway for charitable, educational and public-purpose activities, such as community festivals, residential development and park management. Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives, Inc. produces the annual MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival and the annual XTO Energy Parade of Lights. These events have an economic impact of more than $27 million annually and attract thousands of visitors to Downtown Fort Worth each year. For more information, visit www.DFWI.org.
ABOUT XTO ENERGY INC.
XTO Energy Inc., a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation, is a leading natural gas and oil producer in the U.S. with expertise in developing tight gas, shale gas, coal bed methane and unconventional oil resources. XTO has operations in all major U.S. producing regions, and holds more than 11 million acres. For more information, visit www.XTOEnergy.com.