Date/Time
Date(s) - 2025-11-28
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Categories
Event Name: Niles Festival of Lights Parade
Venue (Route): Niles Blvd.
Event Website: https://www.nilesfestivaloflightsparade.org/
Expected number of attendees: 10,000
Parade time: 6:30pm – 7:30pm, we won’t know our exact step off time until closer to the parade.
Requested number of characters: 10-25
Requested character types: Any
Secure changing/staging area: Veterans Hall is located at 37154 2nd St, Fremont, CA 94536, open at 4:40pm (double check ops orders in case this changes)
Handler/Photographer: Yes
Weapons/Masks: No blasters, other props & lightsabers are fine
Parking: Free parking in the parking lot, more details will be provided closer to the event date.
Participant parking is located on side streets, not in the staging area, or in the railroad depot at the
corner of Sullivan Underpass and Mission Boulevard. (see maps provided). Limited parking is also
available off Nursery Avenue and in the public parking lots off Niles Boulevard near the Niles Train Car.
Also near Niles Elementary School and streets around the school.
Handler Training November 4: https://www.501stggg.com/events/2025-11-04-last-handler-training-of-the-year-november-4th-at-7-pm-handler-training-on-zoom/
Niles Blvd and the staging streets close at 3:00pm, expect heavy traffic into Niles and more road closures as it gets closer to the start of the parade.
Charity:
Referred by: Previous parade participation
Holiday Parade Special Info: Holiday themed additions are permitted (lights, bells, Santa hats, candy canes, etc.) Costume replacements (changing color of cloaks, helmets, hats, etc.) are NOT PERMITTED.
This event will be declined if we do not have a minimum of 8 troopers and EITHER 2 handlers or 1 open face trooper and 1 handler signed up in the ticket system by the RSVP date or at least two weeks before the event.
***If you are signing up as a specific named character please note you might not be picked if other people sign up with the same named character. If you have an alternate character from the one you chose when taking a ticket please mention it in the comments***
—–HANDLER INFORMATION—–
Please bring a flashlight!
—–DAY OF EVENT LOGISTICS INFORMATION—–
Parking Lot Open Time: Street parking
Parking Address: Street parking
Changing Area Open Time: 4:40pm
Changing Area / Meeting Point Address: Veterans Hall is located at 37154 2nd St, Fremont, CA 94536 (double check ops orders in case this changes)
Staging Area Call Time (in costume & in marching order): Handler check in by 5:30pm, troopers might be able to get to staging area slightlky later
Staging Area Location: E Street
Estimated Step Off Time: The parade starts at 6:30pm and we usually don’t step off until a bit later.
As this is a high profile event please review the garrison standards and practices forum post:
Team Lead: Edward Karl
Event Coordinator: Kyle Langdon
2025-11-14
RSVPs
-
Costume Ticket
- Rhaniel Pamintuan (SL-11194) - DS: Kylo Ren: The Force Awakens
- Ed DaSilva (4878) - ID: Imperial Officer
- John Schlosser (2948) - ID: Imperial Officer
- Keith Waechtler (5376) - IS: AT-ST Driver
- Steve Silva (SL-80707) - SL: Darth Vader ANH
- John Cambra (42111) - TD: Sandtrooper
- Cris Knight (770) - TI: TIE Pilot ANH
- Alex Vargas (TI-62526) - TI: TIE Pilot: ANH
- Colin Adams (CT-25622) - TK: Stormtrooper ANH Stunt
- Edward Karl (tk2304) - TK: Stormtrooper ANH Stunt
- Jason Leung (TK-23088) - TK: Stormtrooper ANH Stunt
- James Beetham (Tk-81087) - TS: Snowtrooper
- Greg Adams (TK-17842) - TX: Shadow Stormtooper Handler Ticket
- Alyssa Pamintuan
- Angela Pamintuan
Trooping
Sign ups are closed for this trooping event.
Comments
Just submitted ticket for this parade as TK.
signing up as TB, ID or one of my other, have to see what the kids want, 2 kids and a mouse droid too!
In as a TIE Pilot. I’ll bring my giant dandy cane to hold while I walk.
Ready the Imperial shuttle. Lord Vader will be performing inspections at this outpost.
Will come with my Shadow Stormtrooper
MISSION REPORT
Event Name: Niles Festival of Lights Parade
Date: November 28th, 2025
Parade time: 6:30pm – 7:30pm
GGG Participants:
Rhaniel Pamintuan (11194) – DS: Kylo Ren: TFA
John Schlosser (2948) – ID: Imperial Officer
Keith Waechtler (5376) – IS: AT-ST Driver
Steve Silva (80707) – SL: Darth Vader ANH
John Cambra (42111) – TD: Sandtrooper
Cris Knight (770) – TI: TIE Pilot ANH
Alex Vargas (62526) – TI: TIE Pilot: ANH
Colin Adams (25622) – TK: Stormtrooper ANH Stunt
Edward Karl (2304) – TK: Stormtrooper ANH Stunt
Jason Leung (23088) – TK: Stormtrooper ANH Stunt
James Beetham (81087) – TS: Snowtrooper
Greg Adams (17842) – TX: Shadow Stormtrooper
Tyler Schlosser – Cadet Stormtrooper
Hailey Schlosser – Cadet Imperial Officer
Alyssa Pamintuan – Handler
Angela Pamintuan – Handler
Members of the 501st Legion’s Golden Gate Garrison (above) began arriving at the large changing area in Fremont Veterans Memorial Building at 4:00 pm.
At approximately 6:00 pm, the GGG participants took the group photo in costume. After our group photos, we walked to our staging area (Unit 37) where we waited until we were directed onto the parade path.
Our unit folded into the parade route at approximately 6:50 pm and we completed the parade at 7:10 pm.
The weather was clear and cold, but there were thousands of spectators along both sides of the parade route.
After the parade, we made our way back to the Fremont Veterans Memorial Building where we doffed our costumes and cleaned up the changing area before departing.