McAllen announces largest holiday illuminated parade in Texas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 10, 2014

Contact: Roy Cantu, Public Information Office, 956-681-1201, 956-792-7779

Rebecca Olaguibel Retail and Business Development Director 956-681-1001

McAllen announces largest holiday illuminated parade in Texas

City touts bigger and better event

McALLEN – McAllen’s biggest, brightest and most anticipated event of the holiday season will be held on Saturday, Dec. 6. City of McAllen leaders and parade sponsors hosted a press conference today at La Plaza Mall and unveiled details regarding the newly revamped McAllen Holiday Parade.  This year the City has plans to grow it on an even bigger scale to match the City’s tremendous growth.

La Plaza Mall will serve as a presenting sponsor for the parade.

For 32 years McAllen has hosted thousands of spectators for its annual Candlelight Posada Parade, this year the City has plans to innovate and grow the parade on an even greater scale to match the city’s growth.

The City will partner with major event and parade production companies to produce the largest illuminated holiday parade in Texas. It will feature a large array of giant helium-filled balloons similar to those seen in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

It will also showcase decorated, colorful and illuminated parade floats including some from Blaine Kern Studios in New Orleans, the company that creates the magic of Mardi Gras. The floats that will be featured in the McAllen Holiday Parade are by invitation only and will be themed and built around a storybook Christmas.

“We have a much more energized vision for this year’s Christmas parade,” Mayor Pro tem and Commissioner Hilda Salinas said. “Our crews are working at a remarkably intense pace to make this one of the most inspiring holiday parades in the country, and potentially the largest illuminated parade in Texas. Everything will be on a different scale. It’s going be a memorable event with giant helium balloons, marching bands playing uplifting holiday tunes, impressive new floats and a few celebrity appearances. This year’s McAllen Holiday Parade should be the most remarkable ever.”

The new parade route will begin on Business 83 and will run north on Bicentennial Blvd. culminating at the McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium for a grand finale.

Five row bleachers will be set up along the route for spectators to experience the magnitude of the parade that evening.

Saturday will be a day full of holiday fun and activities suitable for the entire family. Christmas in the Park will combine two unique holiday celebrations: the McAllen Tamale Fest and Kids Marathon and the Candlelight Posada and Marketplace.

“As our city continues to see constant growth it is important that our events are able to accommodate more people, not only from McAllen, but from our surrounding communities as well,” McAllen Mayor Jim Darling said. “This year’s parade will be unlike any other in the past years and we are extremely excited to have everyone join us for a wonderful holiday experience.”

Sponsors of the Holiday Parade include:

La Plaza Mall – A Simon Mall 

Bert Ogden

L&F Distributors

McAllen PUB

McAllen CVB

Anzalduas Bridge

Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson

ERO Architects

McAllen Reynosa Maquilla Association

AEP

SpawGlass

CAROLLO ENGINEERS INC.

Melden & Hunt

Halff & Associates

IBC Bank

SpawGlass

CAROLLO ENGINEERS INC.

Plains Capital  Bank

The tentative schedule for Christmas in the Park is as follows:

Tamale Fest: 12:00 p.m.

Tamale Kids Fun Run: 4:00 p.m.

Candlelight Posada: 5:15

McAllen Holiday Parade: 6:00 p.m.

Other City of McAllen holiday events throughout December include:

Dec.1 Tree Lighting: (Time is still tentative) at the McAllen Convention Center

Dec. 13 Sunset Live: 5:00 p.m.at the McAllen Convention Center

Dec.14 McAllen Marathon: 7:00 a.m. at the McAllen Sports Complex

Dec. 20 Christmas for Kids: 8:30 a.m. at the McAllen Police Department

Dec.31 New Year’s Eve Bash: (Time is still tentative) at the McAllen Convention Center

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