Crowds eight to 10 deep in some places cheered, oohed and aahed for the dozens of light-festooned floats passing by Saturday evening in Downtown Auburn.

Not long after the 5:30 p.m. starting time, the Festival of Lights parade created a sparkling sea stretching from Cherry Avenue to Auburn Folsom Road, to the delight of the hundreds of residents and visitors lining the streets.

Auburn resident Cathy Von Koche watched the festivities from a spot on Lincoln Way across from the Promenade Building.

Von Koche, who has attended several times, said she particularly enjoys the Keystone Cops and Santa.

Everyone was bundled against the chilly night air, but it really wasn’t that bad, Von Koche said.

“This year is actually warm compared to other years,” she said. “I’ve been here when it was freezing.”

It was the first time to see the parade for Cool resident Casey Jower.

“It’s wonderful. We love it,” she said. “We want to come back every year. It’s just the family atmosphere. And it’s so big.”

Jower, who was holding her 3-month-old son, Levi, also brought along her mother, Deb Dicato from Las Vegas.

Dicato said she was enjoying the community atmosphere.

“It is so neat,” she said about the parade. “I just love small towns. Being in Las Vegas, you don’t get that small-town feel.”

With parking at a premium, Jower said they found a spot at Marie Callender’s restaurant, several blocks away across Interstate 80 .

“It was worth the trek,” she said.

Next to her, another three-generation family —Colfax resident Staci Kodet with son Parker Kodet, 15 months, and her mother, Karen Miller were taking it all in, too.

“It’s just great,” Kodet said.

Nearby, friend Sarah Gillmore of Newcastle was also there for the first time.

“I want to have a float next year,” she said. “It would be just a group of friends. We grew up in the area and have been friends since were little.”

The Festival of Lights Parade attracts thousands of viewers. And anticipation was evident early in the day, with dozens of chairs already lining the route.

Firefighters who battled the 49 Fire led the procession, with approximately 200 personnel from area fire departments participating.

Among the floats was The Sugar Plump Fairies’ Angels on High” and Auburn Presbyterian Church’s “Unto Us a Child is Born.” The church was last year’s Sweepstakes Award winner.

This year’s award winners will appear in Tuesday’s Journal.