MAKE LAKE HAVASU CITY YOUR BASE CAMP

FOR HOLIDAY DAY TRIPS

Festival of Lights and Christmas Boat Parade Return;

Outdoor Bars Ramp Up

LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. (Nov. 23, 2020) – A tough year will end on a high note in the city of Lake Havasu, Arizona, with a socially distant Christmas Boat Parade of Lights and Festival of Lights, along with other nearby holiday attractions. The variety of fun activities within an hour’s drive of the city is one reason thousands of visitors treat this western Arizona destination as a base camp for day trips, according to Terence Concannon, president/CEO of Go Lake Havasu. “While it’s certainly common for visitors to spend their entire stay within the city limits or out on the lake, we encourage them to get in their cars and explore what this region of Arizona has to offer,” he said. Get Your Kicks Just a short drive away is famed Route 66, the Mother Road where as the song goes, “you can get your kicks”; there’s Peach Springs, a small town that inspired the famous Pixar animated movie Cars; and Caverns, a natural limestone cavern and the largest dry cavern in GoLakeHavasu, December 2020 Events 2 the U.S., located 200 to 300 feet below the surface. An hour away is Kingman, Arizona, which for Holiday 2020 is planning on Dec. 11-12 and Dec. 18-19, 2020, a socially distanced drive-through Santa’s Wonderland in Hualapai Mountain Park (pronounced: wahl-a-pie). It’s open from 6 p.m. -10 p.m. and costs $10 per car. Location: 6250 Hualapai Mountain Rd. in Kingman. There’s also a Holiday Cookie Crawl at local Kingman businesses on Dec. 12, 2020. For details see: www.gokingman.com For other day trip suggestions see: https://www.golakehavasu.com/arizona-day-trips Lake Havasu Christmas Boat Parade of Lights Returns for One Night Only, Dec. 5, 2020 Back in Lake Havasu City, the annual Christmas Boat Parade of Lights is smaller this year due to the pandemic, but no less festive. A new version of the 36-year-old parade will float through Thompson Bay and the Bridgewater Channel beneath the London Bridge for one night only, starting at 7 p.m. on Dec. 5, 2020. Program director and local business owner J.J. Gibbs decided to maintain the tradition to brighten the community's spirits during the holiday. He says up to 30 craft will participate, ranging from a tiny tugboat up to a 52-ft. yacht, lit in festive lights and lead by the Lake Havasu Fire Department fireboat spraying its water cannons. “We wanted to continue the Lake Havasu Boat Parade tradition. It’s needed now more than ever considering how 2020 has affected us all,” says Gibbs, a Lake Havasu City resident for 32 years. There is no charge for spectators and all are recommended to abide by social distancing guidelines. Homebound on Dec. 5? You can watch it from the city’s live webcam located atop London Bridge Resort at: www.londonbridgetour.com Learn more about the parade here: https://www.golakehavasu.com/Lake_Havasu_Christmas_Parade_of_Lights_ Lake Havasu City Festival of Lights, Now Through January 4, 2021 The annual Festival of Lights continues through Jan. 4, 2021. Take the family for a stroll under the London Bridge along the walkway, or take a boat on a night cruise through the Bridgewater Channel as over 500,000 lights set the water aglow. Free parking is located at the English Village or the London Bridge Resort and Convention Center. Illumination is from dusk to 10 p.m. nightly. For more information: https://www.golakehavasu.com/lake_havasu_festival_lights GoLakeHavasu, December 2020 Events 3

WORC Motorcycle Racing, Dec. 4-6, 2020 The WORCS series returns to Lake Havasu City for a weekend of speed, skill, and flying gobs of dirt. WORCS was established in 2001 to identify the best amateur and professional off- road riders in the U.S. These riders converge at the track on the Island next to Crazy Horse Campground for some high-speed, mud-slinging action. The $10,000 pro purse awards the fastest off-road motorcycle racers in the world. Admission $10. For more information: https://www.golakehavasu.com/world_off_road_championship_series_motorcycle_final Imbibe at the Outdoor, Socially Distant Desert Bar and Bunker Bar Two popular Lake Havasu-area outdoors bars are ramping up for a socially distant holiday: Desert Bar is a favorite off-road destination, an old mining camp, open from October to April, Saturdays and Sundays from high noon to 6 p.m. It helps to have a 4WD vehicle due to its remote, somewhat clandestine location, but a rental SUV will do just fine. The smell of smoke and burgers at this welcome oasis greet visitors; patios and gazebos allowing plenty of outdoor seating. It is located five miles off the Cienega Springs Road exit on Hwy-95, approximately five miles north of Parker. See the video and download the map at: https://golakehavasu.com/activity/tours-search-map/arizona-getaway-trips/desert-bar/ Bunker Bar just outside of Havasu Heights north of Lake Havasu City, on the aptly- named Thirsty Lizard Road, is a solar-powered desert bar open on Friday through Sunday from October to April with plenty of well-ventilated seating beneath a structure that looks like an aircraft hangar with the sides sliced off. You can hunker in the Bunker Bar and hope for better, healthier days ahead. Event dates, times and/or details are subject to change. Please contact the event coordinator to verify information. For a complete list of scheduled events in Lake Havasu City, view the special events calendar at https://www.golakehavasu.com/events Editor’s note: See the Media Room section at GoLakeHavasu.com for more Lake Havasu City story ideas: https://www.golakehavasu.com/media-room

Media contacts: Jason Castellucci, Go Lake Havasu 928 453 3444 x 133, [email protected]

Jeff Blumenfeld, Blumenfeld and Assoc. PR 203 326 1200, [email protected] GoLakeHavasu, December 2020 Events 4

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About Lake Havasu City

Lake Havasu City is situated on the eastern shore of Lake Havasu on the Colorado River border of California and Arizona. The city was established in 1963 by Robert P. McCulloch, Sr. as a self-sufficient, planned community. Lake Havasu City is located on what is known as "Arizona’s West Coast," three hours’ driving time west of Phoenix, 2½ hours south of Las Vegas and four to five east of the Los Angeles region. As part of the northern and western limits of the Sonoran Desert, Lake Havasu City and the surrounding area feature outstanding biodiversity.

The area attracts 835,000 visitors annually with its historic London Bridge, pristine lake, friendly community, abundant sunshine and annual events, ideal weather and wide range of restaurants and lodging. More than 400 miles of stunning coastline offer exceptional watersports, including fishing, skiing, kayaking and house boating. Visitors can also explore the lake from the beautiful beaches, campsites and hiking trails.

Rated one of the top 100 best bass fishing lakes in America, Lake Havasu is ideal for catching large and small-mouth bass and striper fishing. The region is also host to extensive off-road trails and undeveloped stretches of river.

For more information: GoLakeHavasu.com

11-23-20