McALLEN — After the COVID-19 pandemic caused many festivities to be held remotely last year, the city announced the McAllen Holiday Parade would make its triumphant return to in-person attendance this year.
With no shortage of fanfare, city officials announced the in-person parade will be held Dec. 4, a return to normal for the city which last year only allowed the public to watch a broadcast presentation of the parade.
“This year, we are proud to announce that the 2021 presentation of the McAllen Holiday Parade will be live and in-person,” Mayor Javier Villalobos said.
The parade will travel a 1.5-mile-long route along Bicentennial Boulevard. It will begin at 6 p.m. from the McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium at 2001 N. Bicentennial Blvd.
The procession will include 50 illuminated floats, giant helium balloons and marching bands. This year, the parade will feature designated “vuelta” zones throughout the parade route where balloon handlers will spin the giant helium balloons.
Though residents were only able to enjoy the parade virtually last year, the city found ways to hold holiday festivities in a safe and socially-distanced way.
In addition to the parade, the city held the South Pole Illuminated Drive, a drive-thru lights event that ran from Dec. 1 to Jan. 3 at the McAllen Convention Center.
The drive had about 32,000 vehicles come through, which equates to about 176,000 attendees, according to a report from Yajaira Flores, director of facilities for the McAllen Convention Center, which was presented to the city commission in March.
Flores noted that more than 57,000 of those attendees traveled over 50 miles for the event.
As for the parade, City Manager Roel “Roy” Rodriguez expressed relief at the return to a live, in-person event this year.
“Special events are an essential part of the quality of life and of building and uniting communities,” he said.
