by Jennifer McClellan
edited from The Arizona Republic
Pictures by Mike Dvorak
For the past 15 years, the Glendale Glitter and Glow Block Party has marked Glendale's farewell to the holiday season.
The season finale adds the glow of more than 20 hot air balloons to the 1.5 million lights illuminating the city's downtown area. Each year, the festival gets bigger as organizers add more balloons, bands and attractions.
"The combination of lights covering that many blocks and the balloon's glow creates this cool atmosphere," said Kim Larson, spokeswoman for Glendale. "It's getting more competitive in the balloon world as more events like ours are popping up. We have to be creative and competitive to get the cool balloons."
Last year, the celebration attracted 90,000 people. Organizers expect even more this year, as out-of-town visitors come to the city for the BCS National Championship Game at the nearby University of Phoenix Stadium on Monday. Sixteen downtown blocks will be closed for the festival.
From the balloons' choreographed flame pulses to the buildings and trees decorated with glittering lights, the atmosphere is what makes this festival one-of-a-kind."It's all about the glow," Larson said.
