7:25 p.m. | Intergalactic travelers of all sorts, aliens, astronauts, cowboys and invaders, crowded Main Avenue Friday night to see the Snowdown Light Parade.

The Leland House’s Avatar float and massive accompanying paper mache pterodactyls drew admiring remarks from the crowd. But there were plenty of rockets , space shuttles and landers of all sizes and marching bands that also impressed the crowd.

Observers Sarah Slaughter, Shawna Fullington and Marietta Linney all noted the high quality entries into the parade and said the theme helped spark the ideas.

“It’s a theme that’s easy for people to translate,” Fullington said.

This was true of the crowd as well, where tinfoil and creativity abounded.

A squad of seven hooded jawas with glowing eyes posed for several pictures for passing fans. But they had more mischievous plans for later.

“If we see a little kid dressed up as a droid we’re up to the parent to try to buy him,” joked Dalton Millonzi.

5:10 p.m. | We’ll be live from the Snowdown Light Parade on our Facebook page this evening. Check it out!

5:01 p.m. | Teens gathered around a van at Grassburger on Friday to see what $50 gift card really meant to them.

With hands on a freezing van, contestants were set to be tested with tongue twisters and Simon Says.

The Mayor’s Youth Advisory Commission was hosting the event and the judges promised to be much tougher than last year, when teens were allowed to swap hands. Leniency dragged the contest out until 10 p.m.

Jonathon Smith, a returning judge, promised the group he would be tough.

“I didn’t make any friends last year when I was judging,” he said.

4:50 p.m. | With tennis balls swinging from the pantyhose on their heads, contestants attempted to knock over water bottles at Steamworks.

“You got to get the rhythm of it,” said Braydin Mehnert, who competed as a wookie.

When contestants lost control of bounce, then it was all over, he said.

An events management class from Fort Lewis College put on the event and the attendance exceeded their expectations, said Ian Bragdon, a senior in business administration.

The class planned for 30 or 40 but they had to wait list some participants, he said.

It was just edgy enough to get people’s attention, but it was clean enough for children to compete.

3:31 p.m. | Waiters and waitresses navigated the light sabers with kegs and set tables as a test of speed behind Steamworks.

Between each leg of the event, the competitors had to put on a t-shirt worn by the person before them so they could share a team scent, the master of ceremonies said.

In the end, it was the team Ken and Sue’s Restaurant crowned the winners with a time of 3 minutes and 11 seconds. The team was careful not to go first, so they could observe others take on the obstacles, Shawn Hught said.

The DoubleTree came in second for the second year in a row with a time of 3 minutes and 31 seconds. It was a demonstration of consistent mediocrity, said Brian Govreau, who competed with the team last year.

He had the honor of wearing the Pac-Man head last year and this year strapped on a wooden replica of E.T.’s face for the good of the team.

“I love getting stout balloons thrown in my face,” he said.

Steamworks took third with a time of 3 minutes and 40 seconds.

3:07 p.m. | It’s Ken And Sue’s for the win at the Waiter/Waitress Races.

2:35 p.m. | The Waiter/Waitress Races are underway at Steamworks. Ken & Sue’s, Eno’s, Doubletree, the Strater Hotel, Machos, Brew and more local bars and restaurants are facing off.

8 a.m. | Parade day has arrived. Are you ready? We are. Check back to durangoherald.com/snowdown throughout the day for photos, live blogging and videos from today’s events. (We’ll even do some live video on our Facebook page from the parade!)

Keep up with our reports and photographers over on Twitter today. Photographers Shaun Stanley and Jerry McBride tweet from @dhshooter and @jerryphotog and reporter Mary Shinn will be tweeting from @maryshinn.

And if you missed some of the fun from Thursday, check out the Doobie-Rolling Contest video or our photo gallery from numerous Thursday events.