Sunday evening is the final night of the Inland Empire’s annual signature holiday event — the “Festival of Lights.”
The 26th annual fest began on Nov. 23 with a switch-on ceremony at the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in downtown Riverside, and the lights will go out at daybreak Monday.
Several bands, including Black Rock Candy and Congrzz Rock Trio, are slated to play stages at 10th and Main streets between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. in a final salute to the seasonal celebration.
There’s no estimate yet of the number of people who have visited the festival over the past six weeks, but city officials predicted attendance would exceed 750,000.
Festival preparations traditionally begin in the summer, with crews working round-the-clock shifts.
Each fest opens with a pyrotechnics spectacular that illuminates the entire Main Street plaza. Afterward, the century-old inn is bathed in multicolored hues, with some 400 animated characters, including elves, toy soldiers, nutcrackers and angels, visible on banisters, balconies and ledges.
Towering Christmas trees line the way outside and into the hotel, where visitors also encounter a mistletoe measuring 12-by-8 feet.
Nightly horse-drawn carriage rides are complemented by the celebrated Dickens carolers, Santa and Mrs. Claus and a host of other attractions.
USA Sunday named the celebration “America’s Best Holiday Festival of 2015” as part of the paper’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Contest.