You better watch out, the Christmas de Los Caballos Parade is coming back to town.
Suspended for a few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual horse parade returns to the Village on Nov. 19 at 1 p.m.
Traditionally held on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, Christmas de Los Caballos Parade kicks off the holiday season. It’s done in conjunction with the Corrales Fire Department’s annual Giving Tree toy and food drive. It also serves as a lead-up to the holiday tree lighting in the Village administration complex and Small Business Saturday, both on Nov. 25.
And it’s a precursor to the Village’s Starlight Parade on Dec. 2, and the Winter Craft Show at the Old San Ysidro Church.
Decked out in glitter, ribbons and bows, lights and bells, horses will parade down Corrales Road from Wagner’s Farm Stand at 5000 Corrales Road and hoof it down to the TopForm Arena at the Corrales Recreation Center.
The Christmas de Los Caballos Parade was a tradition in Corrales before getting sidetracked by the pandemic.
“The parade went on hold because of COVID and other factors, but we are ready to go again with this family favorite event,” Patty Carroll, co-hair of the Corrales Equestrian Advisory Commission, said in a news release. “This is New Mexico’s only all-equestrian parade, and it is a special part of our community, the Horse Capital of New Mexico.”
Equestrians are invited to dress up their horses and bring them down to Wagner’s at 12:30 p.m. that day. It will require a new unwrapped toy to participate, and cash donations are welcomed. The best-dressed equestrians will receive prizes donated by Village Mercantile.
The Christmas de Los Caballos Parade is sponsored by the Equestrian Advisory Committee, Corrales Horse and Mule People and the Corrales Fire Department. It also receives funding through lodger’s tax income.
The following weekend more holiday events are planned. Corrales MainStreet is organizing a tree lighting at the Village Administrative Complex on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 5:30 p.m. There will be music and a chance to contribute to the fire department’s toy and food drive.
It’s also Small Business Saturday that day, so bring a receipt from a Corrales business to enter a drawing to win prizes.
There’s more holiday activity the week after that. Gift buying opportunities can be found at the Winter Craft Show at the Old San Ysidro Church Dec. 1-3.
On Dec, 2, the Corrales Starlight Parade will travel the same route as the Los Caballos Parade.
Sponsored by Corrales MainStreet, parade participants will stage over at Wagner’s Farm at 4:40 p.m., and the procession will begin at 5:30 p.m.
Santa will join participants and spectators at the parade’s afterparty at the recreation center for St. Nick Night, which will have homemade cookies, green chile stew, hot cider and hot air balloons and a bonfire at the center of TopForm Arena.
Susie Tallman will lead carolers in singing and Frank Leto’s Steel Drum Band will keep the beat.
Roads between Tenorio and Coronado will be closed from 5:15 p.m. until the end of the parade.
For more information on the Starlight Parade, contact Sandy at 505-480-1960.
Then, on Dec. 4, the Corrales Fire Department will set up its Giving Tree drop off spot at the Village Administration Complex to collect food and toys for families that otherwise would miss out.