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Glendale
Glitter & Glow Block Party 2012
By Bette Sharpe
Glendale Daily Planet
Bette
Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 981
The
streets of downtown Glendale were a "glow" one more
time this 2011-2012
holiday-lights
display comes to an end.
Saturday night, January 14 was the 17th Annual Glendale
Glitter & Glow Block Party.
The weather was just right for the balloons no rain and
the winds were calm. If
the wind is blowing more than 5 miles per hour, the balloon
cannot be inflated because it would be too difficult to hold
the balloon in place. It
takes about 33 gallons of propane per balloon to keep it up
and glowing for an hour to and hour and a half.
The event included
10 bands, 1.5 million glittering lights and two dozen hot air
balloons. And of
course food, refreshments and music.
The event is also free, but parking in the two garages
will cost $10.00.
A
thank you is due to Murphy Park and its inhabitants (birds,
trees and other critters who call Murphy Park home) for their
hospitality since November of last year.
Bette
Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no. 969.
A
giant Bee was seen in downtown Glendale last Saturday
night. The big
balloons are about 60 feet wide and about 80 feet tall.
The big bee was NOT completely fired up yet.
Bette
Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet no.949.
The
last night for the Glendale Glitter lights, in Murphy Park,
included live music, rides and food.
Bette
Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet .
Zimis
(Rock) jams as part of the many and varied musical groups
performing live and in the open as part of the Block Party
events. Other
bands listed on the program were Coldshott & the Hurricane
Horns, and Journey Unauthorized, Oak Creek (Indie/Folk/Groove),
Midnight Mojo (Classic Rock), Muskellunge Bluegrass
(Bluegrass), Peppermint James (Groove Rock), Come Back Buddy
(50's), Coldsoup (Pop), Rhythm Edition (top 40/Variety), Urban
County Band (Country), and Amethyst, the Atomic Hooper will
perform with glow-in-the-day hula hoops.
Ed
Sharpe/Glendale Daily Planet
PRE- EVENT
PRESS BELOW WE RAN
GLENDALE
GLITTER & GLOW BLOCK PARTY ROUNDS OUT THE HOLIDAY SEASON
JANUARY 14
GLENDALE,
Ariz.
– Glow, baby, glow! Glendale Glitters holiday light display
concludes with the rockin’ Glendale Glitter and Glow Block
Party, on Jan. 14, from 4-11 p.m. with fun for the whole
family!
Thousands of people are expected to stroll along 16 blocks of
closed streets in Historic Downtown Glendale, watch 20
tethered hot-air balloons gently expand as pilots fire them
up, and enjoy 11 different bands performing rock, blues,
country and pop music.
This
year’s “After Glow” concert will feature the
California-based tribute band Journey Unauthorized performing
from 9:30-11 p.m.
New this year will be a LEGO event in which kids can participate in
onsite brick-building, with LEGO-building contests every half
hour. LEGO aficionados can show off their skills, but get here
early; the LEGO contests are on a first-come, first-served
basis. Sign-ups start at 4 p.m. at 57th Drive, between Glenn
Drive and Glendale Avenue.
Event
attendees will have the option of paying for preferred parking
in the two downtown garages, located at City Hall and the Bank
of America building, both accessible from 59th
Avenue and Glenn Drive. The preferred parking fee is $10. For
those who prefer the free parking option, shuttles run all
evening long, and pick up from the northeast parking lots of
Glendale Community College, located off of 59th
Avenue, north of Olive Avenue.
Glendale’s
Glitter and Glow Block Party is sponsored by APS, Valley Buick GMC, Monster Energy Drink, Phoenix Coyotes,
ABC-15, KOOL, KMLE, JAMZ, The Arizona Republic, Sedona Pines,
Pacific Monarch and Glendale Community College.
Call 623-930-2299, or visit www.glendaleaz.com/events
for more information.
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