2024 Raleigh Christmas Parade: Road closures, new safety measures and where to park
Thousands of people will be getting in the holiday spirit this weekend at the 80th annual Raleigh Christmas Parade.
The big beloved event, which claims to be the largest Christmas parade between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, will be held in the heart of the city on Saturday, Nov. 23.
When is the Raleigh Christmas Parade?
The annual parade will kick off at 9:30 a.m., which will also be streamed on ABC11, the ABC11 streaming apps, and the ABC News Hulu channel if you want to watch from home.
But for those planning to take part in the festivities in-person, here’s what to know before you go.
Which roads will be closed for the parade?
The 2024 parade will begin on Hillsborough Street and end on Lenoir Street.
According to the event website, the following areas will be blocked off from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Hillsborough Street from W Morgan Street to St. Marys Street
St. Mary Street from College Place to W. Morgan Street
The following areas will be blocked off no earlier than 7 a.m. until no later than 2 p.m.
Hillsborough Street from St. Marys Street to Salisbury Street
W Hargett Street from McDowell Street to Wilmington Street
Fayetteville Street from Hargett Street to Lenoir Street
All cross-streets one block in each direction will also be closed, and additional closures may be added to detour traffic near the parade route.
Will there be cars at this year’s Raleigh Christmas parade?
Following the tragic death of an 11-year-old dancer who was hit by a truck at the parade in 2022, last year’s event did not have motorized vehicles. But the parade will include vehicles this year.
This summer, city council members approved new and enhanced regulations that require parade organizers to screen for vehicle safety checks, conduct risk assessments and enact other safety measures.
Participants in motorized parades must also sign a release form that states they will comply with provisions of the city’s Motorized Parade Policy and assume all responsibility of injury, illness or death in any way connected with participation in the parade.
The city of Raleigh shared the proposed new rules with parade organizers this summer, The News & Observer reported at the time.
“We’re happy to comply with whatever the city puts in place,” Jennifer Martin, executive director of Shop Local Raleigh and the Greater Raleigh Merchants Association, said then. “We appreciate all the work that they’ve been putting into this process and reviewing this, and that there are opportunities presented to return parades back to our community.”
Parking and public transportation options
There are more than 70 parking options across downtown Raleigh. On the morning of the parade, you’ll be able to park in city-owned parking decks for free, the event website says.
If you want to skip the drive downtown, you can always ride on the R-LINE. With the GoRaleigh Live Map tool on goraleighlive.org/map, you can select “RLine - Free Downtown Circulator” to view routes and check out nearby stops.
You can find more information about the parade, including a list of other events around the Triangle area afterwards, online at grma.org/christmas-parade.
This story was originally published November 20, 2024 at 4:33 PM with the headline "2024 Raleigh Christmas Parade: Road closures, new safety measures and where to park."
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