December 6, 2004

TULARE, Calif., Dec. 6, 2004 – Chilly nights in the Central Valley bring out the holiday spirit in this farming community.  And Southern California Edison (SCE) is inviting its Valley customers to enjoy the holiday spirit at its annual Festival of Lights display which begins Thursday, Dec. 9 at the utility’s Agricultural Technology Application Center (AGTAC) in Tulare.

The Festival of Lights has become a tradition in the Central Valley and more than 12,000 attendees are expected to view the colorful displays this year. Many of the displays were designed and constructed by Tulare County elementary and high school students, local Girl Scouts, 4-H club members, and community organizations.  The displays -- many of which use state-of-the-art lighting controls that add motion and animation -- will be judged in various categories including the most creative use of lights. 

“This is not only a wonderful community event, but a great way to showcase energy efficient holiday lights that use less electricity and illuminate just as brightly as traditional holiday bulbs,” said Ken Rebensdorf, manager of SCE’s AGTAC. 
 
The Festival of Lights is sponsored by SCE and co-sponsored by the Tulare County Office of Education, Tulare Advance-Register, Visalia Times-Delta, Visalia Direct Publications, KJUG-FM and Z-104.9 radio.  The drive-through event is free and continues through Dec. 23, from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weeknights and from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. AGTAC is located at 4175 South Laspina Street.

#   #   #

Photos of the Festival of Lights are available for your use at www.edisonnews.com

An Edison International (NYSE:EIX) company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities, serving a population of more than 12 million via 4.5 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within central, coastal and Southern California.