CHANGES FOR 2025 PARADE
Parade held on weekday in the evening. This event is going to be held in collaboration with Go Ottawa's "Once Upon a Main Street Storybook Trail Kickoff & Tree Lighting Ceremony."
Parade staging/line-up will be in parking lot of Sts. Peter & Paul church with overflow on Locust Street along Sts. Peter & Paul parking lot area. See below for the 2025 parade route.
Bands, musical groups, dance clubs, etc. can request to have a live performance during the parade route which will take place in front of the courthouse. Performances are limited to 3 minutes and you will need to provide your own sound system, music, instruments, and/or other performance needs. Indicate your request when you submit your parade entry form. We will not have any scheduled performances following the parade due to Go Ottawa's Tree Lighting event and Once Upon a Main Street storybook trail kickoff.
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PARADE DETAILS
*Parade route will begin at the corner of 4th Street. & N. Locust Street, proceed south to Main Street, turn west onto Main Street, turn north onto Oak Street, turn east onto 4th Street and end at Sts. Peter & Paul church parking lot.
*The parade is free and open to all who want to participate.
*Entries from businesses, organizations, churches, schools, teams, public officials, cars, trucks, motorcycles, farm implements, horses and other animals are welcome.
*We highly encourage each parade entrant to display your best Christmas spirit including lights on parade entry since this is a nighttime parade.
*NO THROWING of any prepackaged candy or other items/materials to parade spectators is allowed along parade route; these items can be handed directly to parade spectators. Safety is our first priority for all participants and spectators.
*Please do not include a live Santa in your entry. Santa Claus will be at the end of the parade route.
*Parade entry forms due by Monday, November 24th.
*You will receive an email containing your parade line up number on Monday, December 1, 2025. Units will begin to line up at 5:15 p.m. in the parking lot of Sts. Peter & Paul church and along west side of N. Locust Street north of 4th Street. We will forward a map of lineup area on Monday, December 1, 2025.
*Judging of parade units will begin at 5:45 p.m. and the top three entries will receive cash prizes.
*Following the Christmas Parade, the Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce will host post-parade activities, including photos with Santa and refreshments provided by local organizations. These festivities coincide with Go Ottawa's Once Upon A Main Street and Annual Tree Lighting which will take place immediately after the parade.