After organizers of the Pacific Beach Holiday Parade signaled the alarm that the popular December event could be cancelled due to lack of funding, Benjamin Nicholls from Discover Pacific Beach announced that more than $25,000 has been pledged. “When the word got out that the parade was going to get cancelled, we had about $1,500 in the bank for the parade,” Nicholls said. “That was about a month ago. Since then, a handful of volunteers and people in the business association have really stepped forward and come up with funding in unprecedented ways. So we had $1,500 in the bank and now we have pledges for $26,000.” Nicholls has said the costs for the parade have steadily increased each year. Expenses include: •$6,000 for police services (this is an estimate; the bill isn’t tallied until after the event) •$4,000 for rentals (staging, signage, sound system, etc.) •$1,700 for clean-up crews •$1,200 advertising and promotions •$900 for security •$700 for Port-a-Pottis •Approximately $400 in permits Nicholls singled out several individuals and groups for their work to fund the parade. “Kevin [Faulconer] really got the ball rolling by connecting with the city funding. The city is kicking in $5,000. The PB Shore Club then came on board with $5,000 right after that happened. So they’re matching the biggest contributor,” he said. “Also, Kathy Evans, she went around to her business community — the real estate community — and in her own way got her community to step forward. It’s a tough time for those guys.” Other large donations included $5,000 from the Hospitality Task Force, $3,500 of county funds from Supervisor Pam Slater-Price, $3,000 from the Pacific Beach Community Foundation and $1,500 from SDCCU. Nicholls pointed out that the Hospitality Task Force, which is made up of Pacific Beach bar and nightclub owners, has donated $28,000 to the holiday parade over the past three years. “People say, ‘Well those bars are really in it for themselves,’” Nicholls said. “I think that $28,000 over three years for a holiday parade that’s for the entire community, that’s pretty impressive.” Parade organizers are still looking for entries. Applications are available online at www.pacificbeach.org. For information about parade entries, email Kathy Evans at [email protected].