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ALBUQUERQUE—Mayor Martin Chávez and ABQ RIDE Director Greg Payne are pleased to announce the upcoming 2008 Luminaria Tour. The event will take place on the evening of December 24th. Tickets will go on sale Friday, November 28th, 2008.

Costumed greeters will welcome tour goers in a waiting area with Holiday decorations, providing a warm setting and a chance to visit with Santa Clause at the North Pole.

“This promises to be the biggest and brightest Luminaria Tour ever”, said Mayor Martin Chávez. “The Luminaria Tour is a holiday celebration unique to Albuquerque, and it is an amazing way to view the luminarias without the hassle of driving and traffic.”

The tour highlights the beauty of the luminarias in the Old Town and Country Club areas, as well as Barelas, the Hispanic Cultural Center, Bueno Foods, and Los Altos Neighborhood areas. ABQ RIDE buses are used for the tour and are provided a police escort in order to maintain the flow of traffic.

The tour takes approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour and will originate at the UNM Pit this year to accommodate the increased demand for the tour. The tour times are 5:20pm, 5:45pm, 6:10pm, 6:50pm, 7:15pm and 7:40pm. There will also be handicap accessible vans available.

“The pride and hard work that goes into creating these unique displays of light is absolutely amazing”, said ABQ RIDE Director Greg Payne. “What a great way to see all of the displays of lights and luminarias and also spend time with friends and family”.

Tickets for the 2008 Luminaria Tour are $7.00 and can be purchased on-line at www.cabq.gov/abqride. Cash payments will be accepted at the Alvarado Transportation Center. Hours of service is Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m.– 5:00 p.m. It is recommended that you arrive around 20 minutes before your scheduled departure time.