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East Peoria Plans A Socially-Distanced, In-Person Festival of Lights Parade

East Peoria Festival of Lights via Facebook

East Peoria is inviting people to watch its annual Festival of Lights Parade in person later this month, despite surging COVID-19 cases regionally.
City spokesperson Jill Peterson said there's plenty of room for gatherers to practice social distancing.

"We have an approximately two-mile parade route, so there is a lot of area for people to spread out and socially distance on the parade route," Peterson said.

"We think by now, people do know what the guidelines are, and we are confident people will follow them," she added.

The festival opens Thanksgiving Day and stays open through Jan. 3. This year's Festival of Lights Parade is scheduled to begin at 5:45 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21. The route starts at East Washington and Dolans Lane, and ends at Springfield Road and Taylor Street.

The parade also will be livestreamed online and rebroadcast via WMBD-TV. Those who wish to view the floats from their own vehicles can drive through Folepi's Winter Wonderland at Fondulac Park on Springfield Road on Thanksgiving Day through Jan. 3, 2021. 

The city's annual Peoria Santa Clause Parade also is slated to continue as scheduled, albeit with adjustments made due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The drive-thru parade will begin at 9 a.m. Nov.27. 

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Olivia Streeter is an intern at WCBU. The Illinois State University student joined WCBU in 2020.