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RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — The most wonderful time of the year is almost upon us for the 81st annual Raleigh Christmas Parade on Saturday, Nov. 22.
The holiday will start Friday night, November 21, with the downtown Raleigh Tree Lighting.
The parade will kick off in downtown Raleigh the following day! Everything will be broadcast LIVE on ABC11 and, the ABC11 streaming apps.
“I’m excited. My friend is in the Christmas parade tomorrow,” said Manner and Vintage Owner Saideh Brown.
Small businesses are gearing up.
Veloce’s in City Plaza will be opening doors for the first time, and serving up New York-style bagels and other Italian treats.
The Cupcake Shoppe says it’s been prepping for the party for weeks.
Staff will starting arriving around 3 or 4 o’clock Saturday morning to start baking gingerbread cookies fresh for paradegoers.
“We feel super grateful and lucky to be so close to the action and that we get to be a small part of it every year,” said Cupcake Shoppe Manager Arlen Mabe. “We’re just grateful for the people that build us into their traditions.”
This year, the parade festivities in Holiday Lane include music, light shows, a snowball toss and reindeer games.
The is a kick off to the holiday shopping season and for so many people it’s an annual tradition.
WHAT TIME DOES THE RALEIGH CHRISTMAS PARADE START?
RALEIGH CHRISTMAS PARADE ROUTE
- The parade starts on Hillsborough Street and ends at Lenoir Street
- Begins on Hillsborough Street at the intersection of St. Mary’s Street
- Proceeds East on Hillsborough Street to the State Capitol
- Turns right onto Salisbury Street
- Turns left onto Morgan Street
- Turns right onto Fayetteville Street
- Turns right at Lenoir Street where it disbands
HOW LONG IS THE PARADE?
- The parade is about a mile and a half.
- The parade is usually about two hours long.
TRAFFIC ALERT
- Road closures will be on Hillsborough Street from West Morgan Street to Saint Mary’s Street and Saint Mary’s from College Place to W. Morgan Street from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m.
- Additional road closures and detours may be established at the discretion of the incident commander to control traffic near the route.
PARKING
- Parade-goers can arrive as early as 7 a.m. to secure the best seats along the parade route, but if you are tight on time, you can arrive right at the start of the parade.
- There will be parking all across downtown, with parking decks and street parking to choose from.
WHO’S THE GRAND MARSHAL?
- NC State legend Dereck Whittenburg will be the Grand Marshal for the 81st Annual ABC11 Raleigh Christmas Parade presented by Shop Local Raleigh.
- The parade’s Grand Marshal is an annual honor bestowed upon an individual or group that has made a significant impact on the community.
PARADE HISTORY
The first Raleigh Christmas Parade was on Saturday, November 25, 1939. It took a hiatus during WWII until 1945.
Click on Raleigh Christmas Parade for more history and facts.
HOW TO WATCH
If you can’t make it to downtown Raleigh for the parade, you can catch all the fun and festivities LIVE on ABC11, the ABC11 streaming apps. Get more information.
SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Bundts by Brenee
ABC11 and Shop Local Raleigh are highlighting small businesses for the holiday season 2025. Bundts by Brenee is located at 428 Trinity Road.
Lightship Neon
ABC11 and Shop Local Raleigh are highlighting small businesses for the holiday season 2025. Lightship Neon is Raleigh’s neon design studio, where every sign is custom-made by hand.
Needle and Thread Co.
Needle & Thread Co. offers handcrafted vintage Street-chic style clothing and accessories that are essentially one-of-one for women and men.
Zest Cafe & Home Art
The cafe which also is a boutique has been a part of the Raleigh community for more than 25 years.
**Featured video is from 2024 parade**
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