Pat Sand
The annual Roving Ranchers Christmas Golf Cart Parade rolled into town on Saturday, Dec. 14, and boy, was it a sight to behold! The weather was warm and sunny, which meant the Santas were sweating through their suits and the garlands were practically wilting. The carts began lining up a little after 3 p.m., navigating around the full softball game parking lot like reindeer dodging a snowstorm.
The star of the show? The four-cart “Robson Express” train. Picture this: a golf cart as a train engine, followed by three equally festive train cars—it was like the Polar Express got lost and ended up in the desert. All 40+ carts were decked out with enough Christmas cheer to make even the Grinch crack a smile: Santa Claus statues, garlands, wrapped presents, Christmas trees, fake snow (because Arizona), and lights bright enough to rival a Vegas casino. Participants went all out, sporting Santa hats, elf costumes, and even wrangling a few dogs into their own yuletide getups. Ever seen a Chihuahua in a Santa suit? Pure magic.
Sadly, the Robson Ranch Singers couldn’t grace us with their carols this year. Many of them caught COVID after their Christmas concert—turns out, even holiday cheer has its limits. But not to worry! Plenty of carts blasted their own tunes, creating a mashup of Christmas classics and whatever was left on their Spotify playlists. Who knew “Jingle Bells” pairs so well with ’80s rock?
As the parade wound its way through the neighborhood, residents lined the streets, cheering, waving, and occasionally dodging stray bits of tinsel. Grandkids were treated to candy thrown from the carts, proving that Santa’s sleigh has nothing on a well-aimed golf cart. Some residents even shared cookies and treats with the parade participants as they cruised by—a sweet exchange that might just replace milk and cookies as Santa’s favorite.
Next on the Roving Ranchers agenda was a Holland America cruise from Jan. 3–11. Departing from San Diego, this floating group of revelers headed into Mexico. Don’t forget to join the Roving Ranchers group on Nextdoor.com or Facebook.com to stay in the loop. You won’t want to miss it—after all, who knows what they’ll think of next year?