12/07/2024
Charleston's Holiday Parade & Tree Lighting is a longstanding Lowcountry tradition.
The annual Charleston Holiday Parade, sponsored by the City of Charleston and the Charleston Fire Department, has been going on now for about four decades or so.
It’s a very family-friendly event with a fun route, so load up everyone from your beach house and head downtown.
The parade starts at 3:00 p.m. at the corner of Colonial Lake, where Broad and Rutledge meet. It will travel along Broad Street, turn and head north up Meeting Street, then finish at the corner of Calhoun and Meeting - i.e., Marion Square.
There will be plenty of holiday music, floats, marching bands, special performers and appearances, horses, dogs and other merrymakers. It’s a great parade, but not so crazy-crowded like in some cities where it’s a struggle to find a good viewing spot along the parade route. You should have no trouble getting a perfect vantage point.
As per tradition, all of this culminates in an appearance by the big guy himself, Santa Claus, as well as the official City Of Charleston tree lighting in Marion Square starting at 5:00. The Mayor of Charleston will preside, with plenty of live musical entertainment.