Tomorrow we're heading out to celebrate New Mexico's 100 year birthday at the Mesilla Valley New Mexico Centennial Parade. Are you going to join us?

The parade winds its way Saturday through historic parts of downtown Las Cruces starting at 11 a.m. And we just read in the Las Cruces Sun News that entries are keeping their floats a secret. We're not sure why, but that adds a little bit of excitement to the whol think. 

The 100-minute, two-mile parade will devote about 10 minutes to each decade, commemorating 100 years of statehood and what it has meant to this part of the state, with cars, equipment, representations of people and events, people born, and groups formed in each decade. The end of the final decade (2002 to 2011) will pass over the same spots as the beginning of the first decade (1912 to 1921), ending in downtown Las Cruces. Those attending are encouraged to dress in period costumes.

The parade will stage, beginning at 9 a.m., at the Loretto Town Center, travel north on Church Street, left on the newly opened roundabout, onto Water Street south and back to the staging area. The reviewing stand will be in front of the old Las Cruces City Hall, 200 N. Church St.

Parade grand marshal will be actor Dale Liikala, portraying President William H. Taft with Las Crucen Judy Roscoe as first lady Nellie Taft.

An F-22 Raptor will fly over the area at 11:35 a.m., which was the minute President Taft signed the proclamation designating New Mexico as a state.

Come early and park in downtown city parking lots, at District Court, 201 W. Picacho, Las Cruces Municipal Court, 135 E. Griggs Ave., near old or new city halls, and around the Downtown Mall, but be prepared to stay for the whole parade, as access will be restricted.

Learn more at www.mvcentennial.org.