WISCONSIN — As holiday decor makes its way into stores and the temperatures continue to drop, many people have already begun their countdown to the holidays.
With the holiday cheer, comes celebrations across the state.
We rounded up some of the major holiday parades so you can save time finding the dates and times.
1. Oconomowoc
The city will host their “Let It Snow” Parade on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. It will start on Pleasant and Walnut Street and end on Lisbon Road. And make sure you bring your letters for Santa, who always appears on the last float. The parade is slated to take place, whether it rains or snows.
2. Waukesha
The City of Waukesha announced they will hold their holiday parade on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023, beginning at 4 p.m. This year, the parade is celebrating 60 years. The parade will be surrounded by vehicle barriers to block of roads along the route. The City of Waukesha will also live stream the parade.
3. Green Bay
Green Bay will host their 39th Holiday Parade on Saturday, Nov, 18, 2023 on the streets of downtown starting at 10 a.m. The parade will run along Jefferson, Cherry and Washington Streets. Its theme is “Let It Snow,” with the Grand Marshals being the Snow Princesses and their Snowman Friend. Santa will be in the parade and will host a meet and greet following the event.
4. West Allis
On Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023, West Allis will host their annual Christmas Parade starting at 4:45 p.m. Meet elves, cartoon characters and Santa Claus himself. The parade will start near the State Fair Park entrance on 81st Street and proceed to Orchard Avenue. Prior to the parade, you can also enjoy themed crafts and activities, letters to Santa and more beginning at 3 p.m. at the West Allis in Winterland event.
5. Appleton
The 52nd Downtown Appleton Christmas Parade will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023 at 7 p.m., starting on the corner of State Street and College Avenue. It’s one of the largest nighttime Christmas parades in the Midwest, with about 80 floats, vehicles and more. You can watch it live from home on WFRV-TV.
6. Oshkosh
On Thursday, Nov. 30, Oshkosh will host its Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting Ceremony. The tree lighting will begin at 6 p.m. in the Opera Square House, with live music between 5 to 6 p.m. Around 6:15 p.m., “The Nutcracker”-themed parade will begin, running from the intersection of Main Street/Ceape and ending near the N. Main/Irving intersection.
7. Eau Claire
On Friday, Dec. 1, Eau Claire will host their holiday parade at 6:30 p.m. It will start at Grand Avenue and continue onto 1st Avenue. The event will also include fireworks, a Santa appearance in the parade and more.
8. Fond du Lac
Fond du Lac will host their Holiday Parade of Lights on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 4:15 p.m. The theme for this year’s parade is “Elf on A Shelf.” It begins on North Main Street and will head south toward Veteran’s Park, where kids can meet Santa and see the tree lighting.
9. Watertown
Watertown will kick off the holiday season with its Holiday Parade of Lights on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. It begins at 5:30 p.m. in the downtown area. The route will start east on Main Street and finish on 3rd Street. Kids will be able to visit Santa at his house following the parade.
10. Menomonee Falls
Menomonee Falls will have their Christmas Parade on Sunday, Nov. 26 starting at 4:30 p.m. It will begin at the intersection of Main Street and Harrison.
11. La Crosse
Celebrating 29 years, the Rotary Lights Parade will take place on Nov. 24, 2023 in La Crosse at 5 p.m. The route will start on 6th and Main Street.
12. Hartford
If you’re ready to celebrate the holidays as soon as possible, Hartford is hosting their Christmas Parade on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023. The parade begins at 3 p.m. and starts at Highland and Main and finishes near Main and Monroe.
13. Germantown
Germantown will also host its Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting event on Nov. 11, with the parade starting at 1:30 p.m. on Pilgrim Road and Sylvan Circle. After the parade, the tree lighting and other activites will take place in Firemen’s Park.
14. Elkhorn
The Elkhorn Christmas Card Town Parade is on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. beginning at the Walworth County Fairgrounds.
If your city or town was not included in this guide, we encourage you to visit your local government or neighborhood's website for information on holiday parades in your area.
Correction: A previous version of this story included a parade location that was not in Wisconsin. This has been removed. (Dec. 7, 2023)