Sunday, Dec. 02, 2007

Hello to the Holidays

Modesto was full of cheer with craft fair, floats, snowboarding

There may not be much snow in the mountains, but Modesto had its share Saturday night, along with snowboarders and skiers.

The snowboarding exhibition, put on by Dodge Ridge ski resort, capped a full day of celebration in downtown Modesto that included the annual Celebration of Lights Parade, the Dickens Faire at McHenry Mansion, a Holiday Craft Fair at 10th Street Plaza and a special edition of the farmers market.

The snow came courtesy of Dodge Ridge and Glacier Ice Co. Some 20 tons of ice were chipped into snow and spread on a ramp so "freestyle" snowboarders and skiers could show their stuff.

The freestyle involves technical tricks -- spins and jumps -- explained Dean Stone of Twain Harte, a competitor at Saturday's event.

"It's about a bunch of us getting together and having a good time," he said. The sport is "very dangerous," Stone admitted, but, "we practice and stay in shape."

His hardest trick is "a 270 with a 180 switch up." That apparently involves a lot of spinning along a two-tiered rail set up at the bottom of the ramp.

Don Wehby and his daughter, Tianna, 16, were among the few hundred spectators and are avid skiers. "I think it's a neat thing," he said of the exhibition, although he said he thought the ramp needed to be steeper.

Tianna, already a snowboarder as well as a skier, said she would be glad to try freestyle boarding.

The exhibition, accompanied by a pounding hip-hop beat, was a way to show people in the valley what's going on in the mountains, said Dan Kelsay, Dodge Ridge sales manager.

Thousands of spectators opted to watch the more sedate parade, and they weren't disappointed.

In addition to the traditional fire engines, marching bands, color guards and floats, there were motorcycles, antique cars, lowriders and flaming baton twirlers. That is, the batons were flaming, not the twirlers.

Jose Navarro of Hollister watched his first Modesto parade to see one of those twirlers, niece Karina Farian.

"It's great; I've never been to a night parade. This is pretty," Navarro said.

Kelly Moore and her family are regulars. "It's awesome. We love it," she said. "He likes the Harleys," she said of her husband, Tom.

Logan Moore, 5, had his favorite, too. "When they throw the candy," he said. His sister, Brianna, 12, liked Santa at the end of the parade.

Little folks dressed as Magi, shepherds and elves waved from floats. Santa hats were everywhere.

The Sheriff's Department horse patrol was another crowd favorite -- followed closely by a Modesto streetsweeper.

The weather, calm but chilly, didn't discourage spectators, who stayed until the end, bundled in blankets, parkas, earmuffs and knitted caps. They lined the sidewalks with lawn chairs, sat on curbs or hoisted youngsters onto their shoulders for better views.

There was sympathy for the Johansen High School color guard, girls who bravely marched with bare arms and shoulders in the nippy night air. The show must go on, as they say.

Churches, Scout groups, 4-H clubs, service clubs and businesses participated. There were the obligatory Shriners in their tiny cars and the politicians waving from the back of convertibles.

"I love the Harleys. It's just so much fun," said Laurie Oxsen. "I love the bands and the horses. I liked the cars this year, too."

Bee staff writer Tim Moran can be reached at tmoran@modbee.com or 578-2349.