A Baytown Tradition

’Tis the season for hometown pride and holiday cheer with the long-standing Baytown Christmas Parade tradition! Dust off those boots and jingle those bells as the community comes together for this year’s theme, “Boots, Bells & Holiday Yells!”, bringing a playful Texas twist to the season with dazzling floats, marching bands, and festive fun for all.

The parade kicks off Thursday, December 4th at 6:30 p.m. on the south side of town, filling the streets with lights, music, and holiday spirit.

Weather update: The parade runs in light rain or shine.

Watching the Parade

Parade Route

While some construction is still underway in the area, the impact on the parade route is expected to be minimal. 

Where to Watch the Parade

• Viewers with handicaps: There is a designated accessible parking section at the Memorial Baptist Church (600 West Sterling Avenue, Baytown, TX 77520). They will be able to park their vehicles and watch the parade from the West Defee Street curb where the parade will drive by.
• Early-to-arrive, early-to-leave viewers: Park at Sterling Library (1 Mary Elizabeth Wilbanks Avenue) and walk to the corner of Market Street and Lee Drive
• Here-to-stay, enjoy-all-the-festivities viewers: No parking is allowed on the street of the parade route itself. Limited street parking is available outside of the route area, and overflow parking is available at Bob Hope School (304 N Pruett Street). Avoid parking at the Citizen lot near Town Square or you will get trapped in.
• Late-to-arrive, catch-the-end viewers: Park at Lee College (200 Lee Drive) from the back roads and walk to the corner of Market and Lee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Parade on Thursday?

Organizing a Christmas Parade of Baytown's size involves many moving parts. We often get asked why we've traditionally held the parade on a Thursday night instead of a weekend afternoon or evening. The main reason is to accommodate high school participation, particularly after-school clubs and groups like bands, football teams, choirs, and more—groups we value having in our parade. After all, one of the main goals of the parade is to celebrate our community. Traditionally, high school bands and football teams could have competitions or playoff games in December as well as other school-related competitions such as UIL, creating scheduling conflicts. Another factor is the number of community events held by both Baytown and nearby communities on weekends leading up to Christmas, such as Christmas on Texas Avenue. We recognize that our parade impacts many residents and guests—parade viewers, participants, and residents who are affected by the special event traffic. We genuinely do aim to ensure the best possible experience for as many people as possible. We hope to continue improving the parade and making it an event the entire community can be proud of. 

Why is there a Candy Zone?

The "Candy Zone" in the upcoming parade has been designed with the safety of families, especially young children, in mind. It's the only fully barricaded area along the parade route, ensuring that little ones are protected from the temptation to run into the street to retrieve candy thrown from the floats. While parade participants are asked to avoid throwing candy throughout the route, their excitement sometimes leads them to do so. To address this, the Candy Zone is staffed with personnel who actively "push" any candy that falls outside the barricades back into the safe zone, preventing children from wandering into the street. By creating this designated space, we attempt to prioritize safety without detracting from the fun, ensuring that families can focus on the parade and have a memorable time.