Story Created:
Dec 31, 2009 at 12:21 PM PST
Story Updated:
Jan 5, 2010 at 10:34 AM PST
HUNTINGTON PARK — Santa Claus arrived here last Friday, but the Three Kings, or Wise Men, according to biblical tradition, will arrive here late for Christmas — at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
The City Council Dec. 21 night approved a public place permit requested by the Downtown Pacific Boulevard Business Improvement District to allow closure of Pacific Boulevard between Florence Avenue and Randolph Street for the 13th annual Three Kings Procession.
Henry Gray, director of community development and liaison to the BID, said the procession will form north of Florence Avenue and proceed from Saturn Avenue north to Gage Avenue. It will consist of three men in biblical attire riding a camel, a horse and an elephant.
The third annual Children’s Fair, sponsored by the Huntington Park Woman’s Club, will follow with 24 vendor and exhibit booths along Pacific from Gage to Clarendon Avenue and from there to Randolph a stage area and manger scene with live actors portraying the baby Jesus and the holy family.
There also will be live animals to complete the manger — two sheep and three horses, along with the camel, horse and elephant traditionally ridden by the Three Kings, Gray said.
Offered at the fair will be free entertainment, displays and exhibits by the city and local businesses and vendor booths from 6 to 10 p.m. Live entertainers, on a stage, will perform from 6 to 10 p.m.
Mia Productions, an event staging firm, will be responsible for providing the entertainment, stage and sound equipment and will coordinate the vendors, security and other logistics, Gray said.
Mia Productions, which has coordinated events such as the recent El Grito program in neighboring Walnut Park, was selected from two applicants for the job, to be done for $30,000 or less.
The firm was recommended and will be paid by the BID, a semi-autonomous group of Pacific Boulevard business owners who fund and promote activities in Huntington Park’s downtown area.
Gray said city expenses will total $13,344, with $8,655 for police services. The city costs will be fully reimbursed by the BID, Gray said.
Because of the religious nature of the event, the city some years ago turned the program over to the BID, with the Huntington Park Woman’s Club as
co-sponsors.
The event is expected to attract about 10,000 people, Gray said.
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