The City of Pleasanton will once again host the Annual Hometown Holiday Celebration to be held on Saturday, December 5, 2009 from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. along Main Street in downtown Pleasanton. The centerpiece of this free event is a festive community-based parade followed by the lighting of a holiday tree in front of the Museum on Main.

The parade always kicks off with one of Pleasanton’s award-winning high school marching bands from either Amador Valley High School or Foothill High School. The band is followed by dozens of holiday inspired entries including Pleasanton’s own Balloon Platoon, Congressman Jerry McNerney, Mayor Jennifer Hosterman and the Pleasanton City Council, hundreds of Cub Scouts and Brownies, local car clubs and dog clubs.

Once again the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department will join the United States Marines to collect Toys for Tots at the Hometown Holidays celebration. Visitors can bring new, unwrapped toys to drop in Toys for Tots bins set up on Main Street. Main Street will close to vehicular traffic at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 5. Parade viewers are encouraged to shop and dine in historic Downtown Pleasanton after staking out their viewing turf.