Holiday cheer was evident in merry measure during Saturday evening’s annual Ceres Christmas Festival at the Ceres Community Center preceding thousands who turned out for the opening of Christmas Tree Lane.
Hundreds of parents with their wide-eyed children in tow, turned up at the festival for crafts, hot cocoa and cookies and pictures with Santa Claus, who had a strong resemblance to Councilman Daniel Martinez. Mrs. Claus – played by Councilwoman Rosalinda Vierra – had them smiling as she handed out candy canes.
Among those who waited in line to meet the famous North Pole visitor were Kyle and Haley Medeiros of Tracy who brought their children, Alena and Hudson. Haley Medeiros is a former Ceres resident who has always enjoyed the Christmas traditions growing up in her hometown.
In another room, parents supervised their children writing letters to Santa. One of them was five-year-old Dahlia Aguilar who just started school this year as a kindergartner.
Some vendors sold their wares as members of the Ceres Women’s Club sold packages of home-baked cookies.
The festival was over by 6 p.m., with a lot of families heading over to Henry Avenue and Vaughn Street, which during December is officially Christmas Tree Lane, a tradition of lights and yard displays that started in December 1961.
A large crowd gathered for the parade that followed the lane at 7 p.m. Recreation Manager Joey Chavez was elated that there were about double the parade entries as last year and had four of his staff to manage the line-up down Fowler Avenue next to Smyrna Park. Entries included police and fire, Ceres Karate students, Shane Parson’s 1907 San Francisco trolley car carrying Ceres Unified School District personnel and board trustees. Bands from both Ceres High and Central Valley High played during their march down Christmas Tree Lane and Central Valley High Impulse team danced as did other cheerleaders. Floats included Westport 4-H, Ceres Chamber of Commerce, Modesto Junior College, Ceres Youth Sizzle while car entries included Clifford Bullock, Daniel Martinez, Gerald Robirds and Jose Ruiz. Entering trucks were Harvey Pimentel, Ryan Moring, Lorenzo Beltran and newly elected Councilwoman Cerina Otero.
Jeremiah Sasser of Ceres drove his restored 1936 Dodge fire tank truck which he purchased for the purpose of driving it in local parades.
“It was sitting on a trailer and it needed help,” said Sasser, who enjoys car restorations. “It was in pretty rough shape so we took it all apart, put a Chevy 350 engine and transmission in it, a 2004 Suburban rear end and a 1934 Dodge front-end in it.”
The 45-year resident of Ceres cut a hole in the top of the water tank and put in some seats so his daughter could ride in the back.
Just to get the truck parade ready he applied Rust-Oleum red with paint rollers.
Christmas Tree Lane is something that can be enjoyed every night either by car or walking, right up until Christmas day.
This is the first Christmas Tree Lane experience as homeowners on the street for Vaughn and Gina Black who moved in two months ago from Oakdale.
“We grew up in Ceres and loved this growing up,” said Gina. “We knew what we were getting into – I think.”
The couple, who both graduated from Ceres High in 1991, handmade all the Disney cutouts in their front yard.
“I do all the cutouts and stuff and then she does the painting,” said Vaugh, a carpenter. “Painting and making them it probably took us three weeks.”
The Blacks set up two warming fires in their driveway Saturday night for the lane’s grand opening.
“It’s neat coming out here and seeing your neighbors, each one’s outside their fire pits with their families. That’s an awesome feeling. It’s neat to see. Plus since we’ve been here, all these neighbors we’ve talked to, everybody’s just been so nice.”
Social media blew up the day after the big opening with a number of folks reflecting on the sheer amount of trash left on the streets despite the placement of trash barrels along the route.
