For more than two decades, the Downtown Parade of Lights has wrapped through the heart of Tucson with its twinkling lights, festive dancers and waves from Santa.
The annual parade is back this weekend, kicking off at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16. It'll make its way north from 17th Street and Stone Avenue, east on Ochoa Street and south to 12th Avenue. The parade ends at Armory Park along Sixth Avenue. See the parade route here.
Expect to see floats from organizations like Tucson Comic-Con, Southern Arizona Greyhound Adoption, Tucson High's marching band and Ballet Folklorico Tapatio. Last year's parade featured Disney princesses and Star Wars characters, decorative reindeers pulling Santa's sleigh and a couple Grinches waving to kids.
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The 25th annual Parade of Lights in downtown Tucson on Nov. 30, 2019.
Dante Lauretta has been named this year's Grand Marshal. Lauretta is the leader behind NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission to return a sample of an asteroid to Earth. He's the director of the Arizona Astrobiology Center and a University of Arizona regents professor of planetary science and cosmochemistry.
Two emcees — one in English, one in Spanish — will be parked along the route.
The English-language emcee is Ken Carr of radio station The Drive and the famed Whats Up Tucson page on X. He'll be located at Armory Park. Spanish-language emcee Esperanza Madrid of the Urbana radio station and Estrella TV will be set up along Stone Avenue.
Before the parade makes its way through the route, a festival will take place 4-6:30 p.m. at Armory Park, 222 S. Fifth Ave., where you'll find live entertainment, food trucks and vendors.
The 28th annual Downtown Parade of Lights in Tucson illuminated and decorated downtown in 2022.
Gloria was born and raised in Tucson and is a 2018 University of Arizona grad. From wildflowers to wildlife, she loves all things Tucson and hopes to share her love of the city with readers ✨
Gloria Knott
#ThisIsTucson Editor
