The 2022 Toyota Dallas Holiday Parade, the City’s largest one-day outdoor event, will kick off downtown at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
The parade marks the “official” start of the holiday season in the Metroplex and has become a holiday tradition for thousands of families throughout North Texas and coast to coast, according to the parade website. More than 350 stations in 159 markets televise the parade.
The parade tradition began on December 3, 1988, as a way to celebrate the holidays and commemorate the 75th anniversaries of The Adolphus Hotel and Children’s Medical Center Dallas. The annual event has become known as the “Miracle on Commerce Street.”
The parade will proceed along Commerce Street, beginning at Houston Street and heading east.
The two-hour event is free for all to attend, but guaranteed bleacher seating is available for purchase. Those not purchasing tickets are welcome to bring chairs and blankets to sit on. Plan to arrive early to secure a good spot for viewing the parade.
Hungry parade-watchers will find many restaurants open near the parade route, and food truck vendors will be available at Main Street Garden.
Dancers from HTEDance and Spirit Group will perform during the parade. “We’re here to spread joy and share the gift of giving to friends and neighbors around the world,” said Jeffrey Giles, president and CEO of the Dallas-based dance group.
Parade-goers are encouraged to wear the color red to add to the festive atmosphere of the day, and travel by DART is recommended to minimize traffic congestion in the downtown area.
Santa will be temporarily ditching his sleigh to accompany travelers who take the TRE to the parade. The train stops at the EBJ Union Station in downtown Dallas.