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Best Holiday Parade: America's Thanksgiving Parade

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Detroit parade also won in 2018

Holiday parades, like these 10 voted best in the U.S. by our readers, bring holiday cheer in the form of festive floats, dancing elves, Santa and his sleigh and millions of twinkling lights. Which holiday parade do you look forward to the most?

  • America's Thanksgiving Parade
    Detroit

    Detroit has been hosting America’s Thanksgiving Parade presented by Art Van 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.
    Photo courtesy of America's Thanksgiving Parade

  • Tournament of Roses Parade
    Pasadena, Calif.

    If the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade kicks off the holiday season, the Tournament of Roses Parade draws it to a close. Known as “America’s New Year Celebration,” this colorful parade of flower-covered floats has been a favorite for almost 130 years.
    Photo courtesy of AP Photo/Reed Saxon

  • Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade
    Fort Lauderdale

    Each year over a million people turn out to watch the Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade live in Fort Lauderdale, while another 8 million watch on TV. It's the largest live audience, one-day event in Florida and the seventh largest one-day spectator event in the country. Everything from private boats to megayachts make their way along the 12-mile route.
    Photo courtesy of Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade

  • Ford Holiday River Parade
    San Antonio

    The theme for the 2019 Ford Holiday River Parade on the River Walk is Texas Music Christmas. Viewers of this nighttime event, now in its 39th 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 San Antonio River Walk

  • Fort Myers Beach Christmas Boat Parade
    Fort Myers, Fla.

    The 31st Annual Fort Myers Beach Christmas Boat Parade in Florida is set to feature more than 30 boats illuminated with festive lights and decorations. The parade begins at Salty Sam’s Marina, passing the restaurants oof the back bay. Visitors can vote online for their favorite decorated boat.
    Photo courtesy of Fort Myers Beach Christmas Boat Parade

  • Sparks Hometown Christmas Parade
    Sparks, Nev.

    The Sparks Hometowne Christmas Parade celebrates its 33rd installment in 2019. 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 Sparks Hometowne Christmas Parade

  • Magnificent Mile Lights Festival
    Chicago

    Chicago’s Magnificent Mile Lights Festival features two days oof holiday events leading up to the grand finale, a tree-lighting parade down Michigan Avenue to kick off the holiday season. The parade will feature marching bands from around the country, helium-filled balloons, decorated floats and an appearance by Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
    Photo courtesy of Davis Harrison Dion Photo Courtesy of Magnificent Mile Lights Fest

  • Reston Holiday Parade
    Reston, Va.

    The Reston Holiday Parade has been a holiday tradition on the day after Thanksgiving since the first parade marched in 1991. Now in its 29th year, the parade through Reston Town Center features antique cars, musicians, dancers and floats carrying special guests and local dignitaries. 
    Photo courtesy of Charlotte Geary / Reston Holiday Parade

  • Christmas Ships Parade
    Portland, Ore.

    Entering its 65th year, the annual Christmas Ships Parade in Portland features five dozen ships of all sizes bedecked with sparkling holiday lights. Each night for two weeks, boat owners proudly cruise the Willamette and Columbia Rivers, providing holiday cheer to shore side onlookers. Spectators can see the Christmas Ships up close, meet the captains, take pictures and chat with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
    Photo courtesy of Christmas Ships Parade

  • Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
    New York

    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 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

The top 10 winners in the category Best Holiday Parade are as follows:

  1. America's Thanksgiving Parade - Detroit
  2. Tournament of Roses Parade - Pasadena, Calif.
  3. Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade - Fort Lauderdale
  4. Ford Holiday River Parade - San Antonio
  5. Fort Myers Beach Christmas Boat Parade - Fort Myers, Fla.
  6. Sparks Hometown Christmas Parade - Sparks, Nev.
  7. Magnificent Mile Lights Festival - Chicago
  8. Reston Holiday Parade - Reston, Va.
  9. Christmas Ships Parade - Portland, Ore.
  10. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - New York

A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.

Congratulations to all these winning parades!

License the 10Best Readers' Choice Award Logo

 

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AlertThe Experts

Marla Cimini

Marla Cimini

Marla Cimini

Marla Cimini

Marla is a journalist with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (combining all three whenever possible)! An avid globetrotter, she has covered topics such as exotic Tahitian getaways; Santa Fe’s chocolate trail; Argentine wines; and Japan's Washoku cuisine. Marla is co-author of the book, A Century of Hospitality, a historical exploration of US hotels. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications worldwide. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter or see more of her work on her website.

Joanne DiBona

Joanne DiBona

Joanne DiBona

Joanne DiBona

You'll never see Joanne without a camera or two strapped around her neck as she travels around the world, together with her photographer husband Tony, to unearth new and exciting destinations to share with her readers. Her professional career includes a long tenure in communications with the San Diego Tourism Authority, where she gained expertise with both the camera and the descriptive word. When she’s not adding fresh images to her SCENIC PHOTOGRAPHY website, she's posting her current adventures on her popular TRAVEL BLOG . Joanne is a member of the esteemed Society of American Travel Writers (SATW).

Jacky Runice

Jacky Runice

Jacky Runice

Jacky Runice

Born in Bucktown when bulletproof was a home safety choice and not a coffee order, Jacky Runice has been knocking around Chicago as a professional print, online and broadcast journalist and editor specializing in separating the riff from the raff in politics, culture, entertainment, food and pure unadulterated fun. In her best Chicagoese, Jacky asks, "Who has the time or money to blow on hotels, attractions, restaurants, exhibits, concerts and activities that blow?" 
  

Chelle Koster Walton

Chelle Koster Walton

Chelle Koster Walton

Chelle Koster Walton

Chelle Koster Walton – the Local Expert for Naples, Florida and the Caribbean – has been covering the destination for 30 years. Her top-selling Sarasota, Sanibel Island, and Naples guidebook (Countryman Press) is in its sixth edition. She was contributing editor for Caribbean Travel & Life for 12 years and has written guidebooks on the Bahamas. A veteran travel writer, Chelle has published thousands of articles for Miami Herald, USA TODAY, Latitudes; has written/contributed to a dozen guidebooks, and produces travel shows for the local PBS station.

Corinne Whiting

Corinne Whiting

Corinne Whiting

Corinne Whiting

Corinne hails from the other Washington, where she caught the travel bug early on. Corinne studied abroad in Strasbourg, France (undergrad) and in Edinburgh, Scotland (graduate school). She's backpacked around Australia, taught English in Argentina and explored (so far!) countries from Cambodia and Egypt to Turkey and China. Corinne served as associate editor at Where magazine for five years; as a freelancer, she now writes for publications like National Geographic Traveler and Amtrak's OnTrak. Here in the lovely Northwest, she's  attempting to debunk the rain myths, up her coffee and live music quotient and find her Zen near/on the water.

10Best Editors

10Best Editors

10Best Editors

10Best Editors

10Best.com provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.

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