Abel Caballero Activates Vigo Holiday Lights
Vigo launched its holiday season on Saturday when Mayor Abel Caballero pressed a red button to activate more than 12 million LED lights across 500 streets, as reported by rtve.es.
“Acaba de arrancar la Navidad del planeta,” Caballero celebrated after triggering the display in the Porta do Sol, according to rtve.es. John Lennon’s song Happy Xmas (War is Over) played immediately afterward.
The municipal display features 1,169 arches, 3,000 ornamental motifs, and illumination across more than 2,700 trees, La Voz de Galicia reported. In those spaces there will be all the large decorations of the streets of Policarpo Sanz, Elduayen, Príncipe, Urzaiz, and surrounding areas. The central feature in the Porta do Sol is a 45-metre metallic tree weighing 20 tonnes, equipped with a 13-metre-wide star and a walk-in interior, according to the same outlet.
Three hours before the lighting ceremony, Disney+ hosted a parade along García Barbón featuring over 250 participants, giant inflatables up to 12 meters high, dancers, and skaters, El Confidencial reported. The parade started at 17:00 hours, covering a route of close to one kilometer, and included actors, musicians, and carriers of inflatable elements.
Characters such as Buzz Lightyear, Olaf, and the universe of The Avengers, along with proposals linked to Star Wars, The Simpsons, and National Geographic, appeared after a slight delay caused by rain, according to El Mundo.
Milagros Tolón, Minister of Education, Professional Training and Sports, arrived alongside Abel Caballero to participate in the traditional countdown beside the giant Christmas tree at 20:00 hours in the Porta do Sol, El Confidencial noted.
The influx of visitors caused severe congestion on the AP9 highway, leading some motorists to abandon their vehicles and walk toward the city center, VigoÉ reported. Several Traffic patrols of the Civil Guard rushed to the area at around 16:00 hours.
The illumination operates from Sunday to Wednesday between 18:00 and 01:00 hours, and extends until 03:00 hours on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and holidays, La Voz de Galicia noted. The Cíes Market and the giant Ferris wheel relocated this season from the Alameda to the plaza above the Vialia station.