USA TODAY 10Best
Best holiday parade? Readers vote America's Thanksgiving Parade
Best Holiday Parade (2018)
Holiday parades, like these 10 voted as the best by our readers, bring holiday cheer in the form of festive floats, dancing elves, Santa and his sleigh and millions of twinkling lights.
The top 10 winners in the Best Holiday Parade category are as follows:
- San Diego Bay Parade of Lights - San Diego
- Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - New York
- Mayor's Annual Christmas Parade - Baltimore
- Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade - Newport Beach, Calif.
- Scottish Christmas Walk Parade - Alexandria, Va.
- Reston Holiday Parade - Reston, Va.
- Ford Holiday River Parade - San Antonio
- Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade - Gatlinburg, Tenn.
- Sparks Hometowne Christmas - Sparks, Nev.
- America's Thanksgiving Parade - Detroit
Photo courtesy of Tony Webster / Flickr
No. 10:
Each year, the San Diego bayfront fills up with spectators awaiting the annual San Diego Bay Parade of Lights. Celebrating its 47th year, the 2018 event, themed Tropical Island Christmas, will feature some 80 elaborately decorated boats, with prizes for the best decorations.
Photo courtesy of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
No. 9:
Each Thanksgiving morning, 50 million people across the country tune in to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, while 3.5 million watch live from New York. This traditional holiday season opener since 1924 is famous for its giant inflatable balloons, depicting popular characters like Charlie Brown, Hello Kitty and Elf of the Shelf. Live performances along the parade route highlight pop icons and the Rockettes.
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Grimes / Flickr
No. 8:
For the last 46 years, business associations in Baltimore's Hampden and Medfield neighborhoods have sponsored the annual Mayor's Christmas Parade. The procession along a 2.5-mile parade route includes floats, local TV personalities, a steam calliope, marching bands, Santa and more than 100 Harley Davidson motorcycles.
Photo courtesy of David McNew/Getty Images
No. 7:
Over a million spectators show up each year to watch the twinkling lights of the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade, now in its 110th year. Festively decorated yachts, boats, kayaks and canoes float along the harbor for five nights each December. Waterfront homes and businesses along the route also take part with their own colorful lighted displays.
Photo courtesy of Rob Shenk / Flickr
No. 6:
This year marks the 48th Scottish Christmas Walk Parade in Old Town Alexandria. The event celebrates the season in an Old World style, complete with marching units wearing tartans of Scottish clans parading to the sounds of drums and bagpipes. Dancers, Scottie dogs, classic cars and Santa join the fun.
Photo courtesy of Reston Town Center / Facebook
No. 5:
The Reston Holiday Parade has been a holiday tradition on the day after Thanksgiving since the first parade marched in 1991. Now in its 28th year, the parade through Reston Town Center features antique cars, musicians, dancers and floats carrying special guests and local dignitaries.
Photo courtesy of San Antonio River Walk
No. 4:
The theme for the 2018 Ford Holiday River Parade on the River Walk is Christmas in San Antonio. Viewers of this nighttime event, now in its 38th year, watch as 21 floats covered in holiday trappings and twinkling lights float by, as costumed riders perform to seasonal tunes. Some 50,000 spectators turn out for the event, which is also televised.
Photo courtesy of Gatlinburg Convention and Visitors Bureau
No. 3:
The holiday season in Gatlinburg heats up with its annual Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade, now in its 43rd year. This annual event in Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains features big balloons, marching bands, dancing troops and an appearance by St. Nick himself.
Photo courtesy of Sparks Hometowne Christmas Parade
No. 2:
The Sparks Hometowne Christmas Parade celebrates its 32nd installment in 2018. This Northern Nevada tradition includes seasonal carols by marching bands, festive floats and Christmas costumes. The parade marks the beginning of the City of Sparks Toy Drive, encouraging spectators and the local community to give back this holiday season.
Photo courtesy of Jon / Flickr
No. 1:
Detroit has been hosting America's Thanksgiving Parade (originally called the Michigan Thanksgiving Parade) since 1924. Since then, it has grown to become one of the largest and most popular parades in the country, complete with marching bands, helium balloons and colorful, larger-than-life floats making their way down historic Woodward Avenue each Thanksgiving morning.
Congratulations to all these winning events!
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
10Best Local Experts
10Best Local Experts provide users with original,... Read More
10Best Local Experts provide users with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world. No business pays to be listed. Our Local Experts are well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields - and their cities - but discriminating in their tastes. These local experts live in the city they write about, with constantly updated content.
10Best Local Experts
10Best Local Experts provide users with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world. No business pays to be listed. Our Local Experts are well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields - and their cities - but discriminating in their tastes. These local experts live in the city they write about, with constantly updated content.
