Holiday Parade

The City of Harrisburg will present the annual Cargill Holiday Parade sponsored by Visit Hershey & Harrisburg in Downtown Harrisburg on Saturday, November 22, 2025 at 10am. The parade will feature giant parade balloons, marching band and dance team performances, decorated floats, characters, Santa Claus and more. The parade takes place on Front and 2nd Streets from Market to North Street. After the parade, head to Strawberry Square to meet Santa, enjoy FREE hot chocolate and cookies (while supplies last) and find out the marching band, dance team, and Best in Theme winners. Marching bands are awarded $500 for 1st place, $300 for 2nd place and $200 for 3rd place. The top three dance/step/drill teams receive $150 for first place, $100 for 2nd place, and $50 for 3rd place along with trophies. The Best in Theme winner receives a $100 prize.

The 2025 parade theme is "Deck the Paws" - we hope to see decorations and costumes centered around your favorite animals, and maybe even a few of our real-life furry friends as well!

Visitors are encouraged to eat lunch at one of the many terrific restaurants located in the City and to do some shopping at local boutiques. A great way to explore the City is through the self-guided trails and experiences offered through Visit Hershey & Harrisburg, including the Sweet Treat Trail, Harrisburg Arts District, Brew Barons Beer Trail, Adventure Trail, and the Cultural Guides. For a full list of City businesses to explore, visit www.explorehbg.com. For more information on the trails and experiences, visit www.visithersheyharrisburg.org/trails.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

• 10 a.m. – Start of parade
• Following the parade – Announcement of parade winners, free hot chocolate & cookies (while supplies last) and Santa Claus at Strawberry Square

PARADE ROUTE:

• The parade takes place on Front and 2nd Streets from Market to North. The route begins at the intersection of Front and Market Streets, proceeds on Market St., turns left on 2nd St., turns left on North St., turns left on Front St. and ends where it began at Market St.

PARKING/TRANSIT:

• The Market Square Garage is $10 from 8am-8pm courtesy of Park Harrisburg.
• A bus stop and the train station are just 2 blocks away.

ROAD CLOSURES:

• The Market Street Bridge will be closed starting at 7 a.m.
• 2nd Street and Front Street will be closed from Market to Forster Streets starting at 7 a.m.

SPONSORS:

• Visit Hershey & Harrisburg,  Explore HBG,  Cargill,  UPMC,  Capital Blue Cross,  Aetna,  Renewal by Anderson,  Belco Community Credit Union, PennState Harrisburg,  PA Health & Wellness,  Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District,  Park Harrisburg

Share your experiences with us using #HolidayParadeHBG.