Thousands Celebrate the New Year with DIY Last Night Santa Cruz Parade

On Saturday, December 31, 2005, thousands of people celebrated the new year with a Do-It-Yourself Last Night Santa Cruz parade. Hundreds of ordinary folks, freaks, clowns, fire dancers, samba drummers, punks, pirates, artists, zombies, marching bands, moms, dads, kids, trash musicians, art cars, bikers and boaters began to gather at the Saturn Cafe parking lot at 5pm. After a bunch of drumming, juggling and poi dancing in the parking lot, the parade went up Pacific Ave and ended at the intersection of Pacific Ave, Front St and Mission St.

Police barricades were in place to discourage people from crossing Mission St. The Town Clock and the Veterans War Memorial eagle statue were completely fenced off. A large drum circle backed by the Santa Cruz Trash Orchestra provided music in the street and then on the corner by the Post Office.

The parade was very high in energy. You could almost taste playa dust in the air. For a few hours, Pacific Ave had a bit of the look and feel of an evening in Black Rock City.

Almost everyone that I saw, either in the parade or standing on the sidewalk, seemed to be having a really great time. People love creativity and one-of-a-kind interactive artwork which are embraced in the do-it-yourself culture.

Many people spent hours designing their own costumes and props. I believe it is up to all us to bring our favorite elements of Black Rock City and the Burning Man celebration into our everyday lives.

For more information on the Last Night Santa Cruz DIY New Year's Parade, visit:
www.lastnightdiy.org

For more information on The Burning Man Project (Welcome Home), please visit:
www.burningman.com

Thanks to the (non)organizers of Last Night Santa Cruz and especially all the participants. diy til we fuckin die. from darkness to life.

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Crossposted at Santa Cruz Indymedia.