Riverside Kicks Off Holiday Season With Mission Inn's Festival Of Lights

RIVERSIDE (CBSLA) — The Mission Inn will kick off its 26th annual Festival of Lights Friday evening with a fireworks show over Riverside.

More than five million Christmas lights at the Mission Inn will be switched on at about 4:30 p.m., and will be accompanied with a fireworks show and holiday music. The city is expecting up to 75,000 people to descend on Mission Inn Avenue and Orange Street to watch the display.

"The Festival of Lights represents the best of Riverside -- our history, our commitment to family and our desire to be together in a joyous season," Mayor Rusty Bailey said. "The switch-on ceremony is a tradition in Riverside, and is better than ever."

The festival began in 1992, after Mission Inn owner and festival owner Duane Roberts and his wife, Kelly, took over the hotel and spa.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)