Texas Border Business
The McAllen Holiday Parade, presented by H-E-B and powered by Bert Ogden & Fiesta Dealerships, parade organizers announced more exciting news to celebrate the Christmas season in the official South Pole of Texas, this time with a Rio Grande Valley musical spectacular that will air across the country. A line-up of 13 of the region’s top high school marching bands from McAllen, Donna, Edinburg, Donna, La Joya, Pharr, and Santa Rosa will be “Rockin’ Around the South Pole” as they perform in this year’s parade line-up. Thanks to a delayed Spanish broadcast, the parade will air on Saturday, December 25, 2021, on TeleXitos Network in 31 U.S. Hispanic markets. Newly announced prizes in the McAllen Holiday Parade Sweepstakes and special ticket promotions to see the parade are kicking up the thrill factor as the countdown to the Best Parade in the World begins.
“We are thrilled that our international award-winning McAllen Holiday Parade, presented by H-E-B and powered by Bert Ogden & Fiesta Dealerships, will highlight some of the best student talent that our region has to offer,” said District 5 Commissioner Victor “Seby” Haddad. “One of the best parts of a parade is the marching bands and we have some of the most amazing high school marching bands located right here in South Texas. I can’t wait to be a part of the parade so that everyone can have a rockin’ good time around the south pole with the Rio Grande Valley’s best high school marching bands.”
For parade organizers, the inclusion of the high school bands in more than just entertainment; it is to promote music education and the opportunities that performances like the McAllen Holiday Parade bring. This year’s band line-up will include the award-winning marching bands from McAllen I.S.D.; Donna I.S.D.; Edinburg Consolidated I.S.D; Pharr-San Juan-Alamo I.S.D.; La Joya I.S.D.; Santa Rosa I.S.D.; and Valley View I.S.D. who will all be performing.
For another way to enjoy this year’s parade, everyone still has a chance to get registered for the best sweepstakes: the McAllen Holiday Parade Sweepstakes, where, by simply texting the word McAllen to phone number 797979 or 956-474-6767, folks can get registered to win a bevy of prizes, including two round trips from the McAllen International Airport to Las Vegas or Orlando; and, thanks to H-E-B, a list of prizes that include a 65” 4JK TV; a Celebrity Shout Out; A South Pole Super Fam TV Appearance; Vuelta Zone VIP Family 4-Pak; and a McAllen Marathon package. These amazing prizes were just added to the list of already amazing prizes, including holiday cash; game consoles; H-E-B gift cards; and a VIP Celebrity Meet & Greet Family 4-Pak.
According to Tony Gonzalez, Director of Merchandising and Marketing, Border Region, for H-E-B, the McAllen Holiday Parade Sweepstakes is a cost-free chance to win sought-after holiday gifts before, during and after the parade broadcast.
“H-E-B believes in the importance of McAllen Holiday Parade and its mission to create a world-class holiday event in South Texas,” he said. “Each year, thousands of families in the Rio Grande Valley celebrate the holidays with special homemade recipes, treats and more created from the very best products found at your H-E-B. To thank our customers, this year we are proud to give them additional chances to bring home some of the holiday’s hottest gifts,” concluded Gonzalez.
Thanks to its partnership with Telemundo 40, the McAllen Holiday Parade, the largest illuminated holiday and helium balloon parade in Texas, will help bring the McAllen Christmas spirit to a national Hispanic audience in the top 31 markets for TeleXitos, a Spanish-language network channel owned by the Telemundo Station Group. The network will air the multiple international-award winning parade on Saturday, Dec. 25, 2021, at 12:00 p.m. CST.
“The McAllen Holiday Parade is just a little bit of what the City of McAllen has to offer, and we are excited that TeleXitos 40.2 will showcase this magic nationwide,” said Jose Flores, President and General Manager of KTLM-Telemundo 40, located in McAllen, Texas.
There are still a lot of other ways to watch the McAllen Holiday Parade live, including VIP Stadium seating and various parade route seating along Bicentennial Blvd. In fact, starting today at 10:00 a.m. and continuing through Sunday, November 7 at 10:00 p.m., there is a special $2 off promotion on $10 stadium seating and Vuelta Zone tickets. To purchase VIP stadium tickets, visit at www.ticketmaster.com or at the McAllen Performing Arts Center Box Office or at any one of the McAllen community centers, including Lark, Las Palmas and Palm View.
Parade route chair tickets are available for also still available for purchase at any one of the McAllen community centers, also for only $10. These seats are so popular that selling them as a fundraiser is an opportunity that is available one again only to non-profit or other community organizations. Groups interested in participating in this fundraiser activity can contact Lark Community Center for more details and to sign up.
Parade organizers are also still looking for volunteers to be a part of the parade. Balloon handler volunteers must be 18 years or over, while banner carriers must be 16 years or over. All volunteers must go through a background check. Learn more at www.volunteersotx.org or send questions or to sign up at pardvolunteers@mcallen.net.
Celebrities Mario Lopez and Julian Gil will serve as co-hosts for the parade.
The McAllen Holiday Parade, presented by H-E-B , is the largest illuminated holiday and helium balloon parade in Texas and uses 15 miles of rope light, which generates 1,875,000 lumens of light to properly illuminate the parade and 44,500 cubic feet of helium to keep those giant balloons afloat and is powered by 12,000 horsepower by over 50 trucks from Bert Ogden & Fiesta Dealerships. The 2021 McAllen Holiday Parade is presented by H-E-B and powered by Bert Ogden & Fiesta Dealerships, Budweiser, Reliant, McAllen International Airport and South Padre Island CVB. Other sponsors include McAllen I.S.D.; McAllen International Bridge System; McAllen Public Utility; Matt’s Building Materials; Stripes/Laredo Taco Company; Metro McAllen; University of Texas-RGV; Peña Eye Institute; Linebarger Attorneys at Law; McAllen Chamber of Commerce/MXLAN; PepsiCo.; McAllen Public Works; Mike Rhodes – Tres Lagos; AEP Texas; McAllen Economic Development Corp.; Lacks; Doña Lula; Hermes; Whataburger; South Texas College; Cigna Health Care; O’ Reilly Auto Parts; Taco Palenque; Raising Canes; Carollo Engineers; KSA Engineers; MedCare EMS; Halff Associates; Raba Kistner Consultants, Inc.; S&B Infrastructure; and the Texas Lottery.
