By ALEXANDREA
BAILEY
editor@portisabelsouthpadre.
Padre Boulevard was aglow as holiday spirit illuminated the Island the evening of Friday, Dec. 2. Friends, families and loved ones lined the streets to witness the 33rd Annual SPI Christmas Parade. However, this year it wasn’t all Santa hats and jingle bells. A live alligator, escorted by the Island’s very own alligator sanctuary stole the show.
The South Padre Island Birding, Nature Center & Alligator Sanctuary (SPIBNCAS) is the 2022 first-place winner of the floats division of the Annual SPI Christmas Parade.
Sylvia Soliz, Sales and Marketing Manager at SPIBNCAS, described how the parade was an opportunity to expose a glimpse of what the center is all about, South Padre’s wildlife. She described SPIBNCAS as a “living classroom” and according to her, it is 58 acres along with a three-quarters-of-a-mile long boardwalk.
“The inside is three beautiful buildings where the young, and young at heart, can learn about nature and our natural environment with educational courses on conservation,” said Soliz.
Their float this year featured a 13-foot statue of an alligator atop the float, wrapped tail-to-snout in ten thousand sparkling Christmas lights. The float was also adorned with ornaments in the image of different types of birds that are native to the Island.
“We were very fortunate that we were licensed and had the permits to be able to take out a yearling ‘gator,” said Soliz.
A one-year-old alligator made its way south down Padre Blvd with the SPIBNCAS crew during the parade. Soliz said this allowed them to showcase what is in store for visitors to the center, hands-on, as well as educate the public about nuisance alligators.
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