2008 ‘Festival of Lights’
2008
Festival of Lights
2008
Mission Inn
In case you missed it, the 16th annual Festival of Lights began this past weekend in downtown Riverside. With 3.5 million lights and hundreds of animated figures, the crown jewel of the nightly festival is the historic Mission Inn hotel. As usual, Friday night’s “lighting ceremony” incorporated extra festivities, including live music and fireworks.
Also included are an ice skating rink, carriage rides and several vendors and shops along the Main Street Pedestrian Mall. Most stores have extended their hours during the festival (something we’d like to see more of them do at other times during the year).
The festival runs nightly through January 4th (excepting Christmas Day). We suggest parking in one of the two available Orange Street parking garages, particularly if you’re visiting Friday, Saturday or Sunday evenings (parking is free after 5 p.m. and all day on the weekends). Another garage is also available off Market Street between Mission Inn and University avenues.
For those looking to make dinner plans (or simply grab a quick bite), several top-notch restaurants and eateries — including Mario’s, Restaurant Omakase, Duane’s, Las Campanas, Cafe Sevilla, Old Spaghetti Factory, Simple Simons, Phood on Main, Pacific Stix and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf — are all within a few blocks.
Related
- InstantRiverside.com – Mission Inn lights up downtown
- Mission Inn
- Mission Inn – Festival of Lights
- City of Riverside – Festival of Lights
Previous
- RaincrossSquare.com – GMA does FOL (Dec. 2007)