Holiday spirit takes over downtown as Lexington’s parade returns Dec. 6

The artwork created by the event planning class.
Artwork created by UK’s event planning class.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 4, 2024) — Lexington’s Holiday Parade presented by Commonwealth Credit Union is coming up Dec. 6. The parade will begin at 11 a.m. on Midland Avenue, running west on Main Street, ending at Mill Street. 

UK integrated strategic communication students have been working with Downtown Lexington Partnership on several aspects of the parade throughout the fall semester. As part of their event planning class, students took on a wide range of responsibilities as part of the project, including coordinating logistics, promoting the event on campus and across social media, managing participant registration and developing marketing strategies to engage the community. Their work not only supports one of the city’s largest holiday events but also strengthens the connection between UK students and the greater Lexington community.

The parade will feature an exciting lineup of local marching bands, community groups, festive floats and area businesses. Attendees can look forward to a day filled with holiday cheer and family-friendly activities. At Candy Cane Corner, at the Fifth Third Bank Pavilion at Tandy Park, children can enjoy arts and crafts like making reindeer food, writing letters to Santa and snapping a festive photo with featured characters.

After the parade, LexLive is showing special screening of the Will Ferrell holiday movie “Elf.” Guests can warm up with hot chocolate and a holiday cookie bar, and students will receive a game card for LexLive. Check out this link to purchase discount tickets for the movie “Elf”.

If you are interested in participating in this year’s parade, contact Laura Farnsworth at laura@downtownlex.com.

Find the link for this year’s application here.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.