The 2019 Best Entry Overall award went to the KTVQ - Q2 News entry pictured above | photo courtesy of the DBA

After a year fraught with cancellations, the Downtown Billings Alliance is thrilled to bring the Downtown Holiday Parade back for its 36th year. Held annually the Friday after Thanksgiving, this year's outing will be the first of many community parades to utilize the new downtown parade route, revised by the City of Billings. 

As you're bundling the family up to take in this year's 57 parade entries on November 26 at 6:30pm, please note the updated route: 

• The parade will travel East down 2nd Avenue North, turn North (left) under Skypoint, and then turn West (left) onto 3rd Avenue North to the parade end, where the floats will disband at Division and North 33rd Street. 

The theme this year is Cartoon Celebrations, and with no shortage holiday cartoon classics to choose from, the floats are sure to delight parade-goers of all ages! Each float is created from the imaginations of local businesses, organizations, and community groups eager to share a little holiday magic with the community. 

Getting the parade rolling will be the Eugene Sara Detachment, United States Marine Corp League and the Billings Young Marines as the honor guard, followed by a 1922 Chandler Model 6 vehicle, from the collection of local car collector Don Cantrell. Riding inside and walking alongside the vehicle will be the honorary Parade Grand Marshals, the Billings Clinic Endoscopy Unit. The Endoscopy unit is sponsored by the DBA as part of the Billings Clinic’s Sponsor a Unit program.  

"We sponsored a unit at Billings Clinic because we wanted to do our part in helping show community support to the hard working healthcare professionals, and the Billings Clinic has organized the Sponsor a Unit program to do just that. When it came to including our sponsored unit in the parade, we knew from years of experience how mood elevating it is to be a part of the parade and to see all the happy faces smiling and waving at you and we wanted to offer that opportunity to their hard working team." 

-Lindsay Richardson, DBA Community Engagement & Events Director.

Sandwiched in between that and the grand finale (enter, the big guy in red, a.k.a. Santa) are the 57 floats vying for Best Entry Overall, Best Float, Best Musical Entry, Best Costume, Best Interpretation of the Theme, Best Performers, and Most Original Entry. 

While we might not be on the other side of the pandemic, we are ready to celebrate: each other, our community, and the holiday season. So, grab your hot cocoa and blankets, bundle up, and make your way out to the 36th annual Downtown Holiday Parade! 

For those unable to attend the parade in person, Community Seven Television will air the parade live on air or watch it online at comm7tv.com. The parade will be announced by Dianne Parker, a Lifestyle television segment host for KTVQ & Community Seven Television and Willy Tyler, a radio personality for The Zone 96.3 & My Classic Hits 105.9 (Desert Media Broadcasting). The pair announced the parade in 2019 and are looking forward to being a part of the event again this year.  

The DBA would like to remind the public that this is a free community event and public safety is their number one priority. Any and all candy handouts will take place from the sidewalks behind the crowd and not from the parade route itself. Parade floats will not be passing out candy from the parade route in compliance with the DBA’s and City of Billings parade safety policy and ordinance. Please visit https://downtownbillings.com/event/holiday-parade-2021/ for details and clarification as to this policy and code. The DBA is a non-profit organization who advocates for a vibrant and thriving downtown through community events like this parade, clean and safe programs, and economic development projects.

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