The official date for the Batesville Community Tree Lighting and Batesville Area Chamber Holiday Parade is Friday, December 4th, 2026. This exciting tradition brings our community together to celebrate the start of the holiday season!
This year’s theme is “Stars, Stripes & Holiday Lights.” Entries may include festive floats, marching bands, decorated vehicles, dance teams, and community groups. Get creative with color, lights, and sound - Chamber Gift Certificates (Batesville Bucks) will be awarded for Most Illuminated, Best Themed, and Most Creative!
Event Details & Deadlines
Entry Fee: ALL PARADE ENTRIES ARE FREE!
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, December 1st.
Logistics: Line-up times, arrival details, and staging locations will be provided closer to the event date!
Important Parade Rules
Illumination Encouraged: All groups are strongly encouraged to illuminate their entries using lights, glow sticks, or creative displays. The more lights and sound, the merrier!
Candy/Promotional: Candy may be gently tossed underhand into the crowd along the parade route or handed out. Solicitation for cash or ticket sales along the parade route is NOT allowed. If your group would like to hand out promotional material, it may be done person-to-person.
No Live Santas: To keep the magic alive for small children, Santa will be the final entry of the parade. Please do not feature a live Santa on your float.
Animal Cleanup: Any entries featuring live animals must provide their own clean-up crew along the parade route.