Helldorado parade can ride again, mayor says
Helldorado Days Parade will ride again, at least for one more year.
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said he would support bringing back the downtown historic parade for another year. He had earlier said that if attendance and festivities didn’t improve from last year’s, he would put the kibosh on the march down Fourth Street.
City officials estimated between 20,000 and 30,000 people showed for Saturday’s parade. Although a far cry from the 80,000 who attended in 2005, officials said it was an improvement from last year’s parade. Goodman has said last year’s parade “stunk.”
For the first time the parade, which debuted in 1934, began at 7 p.m. and ended after 9 p.m.
“The night time made all the difference in the world,” said Esther Carter, parade producer. “Not only with the people in the parade, but spectators.”
Centennial Committee officials changed the parade’s start time to the evening so it was cooler.
Police reported no arrests related to the parade, according to a spokesman.
Goodman said his initial impression walking at the head of the parade wasn’t all that great.
“When I left the parade, I thought we should’ve done better,” he said. “But I was told by everyone in the parade, by city staff, that more people came as it got later. They deemed it a great success.”
Goodman also called for more music in the parade.
About 100 entries, including floats, horses, and marching bands participated in the parade.
The parade cost about $75,000 to produce, and another $75,000 was spent on advertising. That money came from the Centennial Committee, which is largely funded through the sale and registration of commemorative license plates.
Carter said $75,000 for advertising “is just a drop in the bucket.” She said she would ask for a larger advertising budget for next year.
“If this is the event we want Las Vegas Valley residents to hang their hats on, we have to get the word out,” she said. “This is one event residents can call their own.”
The parade ran through 1997, but was then discontinued. It was revived in 2005 as part of the city’s 100th birthday celebration.
