Texas Border Business
Organizers for the McAllen Holiday Parade, presented by H-E-B and powered by Bert Ogden Auto Group, invited the community to be a part of this year’s festivities in various ways, including, a special call for entries for the McAllen Holiday Shoebox Parade. Additionally, the parade is seeking volunteers and high school bands throughout the region to be a part of the magical tradition and, thanks to the partnership with McAllen I.S.D., MHP stadium tickets are on sale for McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium, from where the parade steps off and pre-parade festivities take place, on Saturday, December 3, 2022, starting at 6:00 p.m.
Watch the video of the press conference below:
New this year is a call for entries from anyone throughout the Rio Grande Valley for entries for the McAllen Holiday Shoebox Parade. Entries must be on a shoebox, and can include any type of arts & crafts, toys, holiday decorations, lights or countless elements to celebrate “South Pole & Beyond,” the theme of both the shoebox and the big parade. Categories will include elementary; middle school; high school; business; community; and countless others, and prizes include MHP tickets and swag.
However, the biggest prize of all will be that the grand champion winning shoebox float entry will be made into an actual float for the 2023 edition of the McAllen Holiday Parade. Shoebox entries will be a part of the McAllen Holiday Shoebox Parade production that will debut right before the actual parade. Others will be displayed throughout City of McAllen facilities. Entries are due no later than Wednesday, November 23, 2022 by 3:00 p.m. to the City of McAllen Office of Communications, McAllen City Hall, 1300 W. Houston Ave., 3rd Floor. For more information, call 956-681-1206.
“The McAllen Holiday Shoebox Parade is a great way for anyone in the community to be a part of the McAllen Holiday Parade,” said McAllen Assistant City Manager Joe Vera, who also serves as the executive producer of the celebration.
Watch the video below:
One of the reasons the McAllen Holiday Parade has earned Best Parade in Texas and the World accolades is an award-winning volunteer program. The phenomenon that happens only at the McAllen Holiday Parade known as “Vuelta” is only possible because of parade volunteers. The community is invited to sign up to be one of hundreds of balloon handlers that spin giant helium balloons throughout the 1.5-mile parade route as the crowd chants “Vuelta.”
Additionally, volunteers can light up the parade by holding one of the McAllen Holiday Parade’s over 100 lighted banners that walk just in front of the floats, balloons or bands.
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 and will receive gloves, t-shirt and snacks. All volunteers are required to have a volunteer badge a scheduled event. Learn more at www.volunteersotx.org or send questions or to sign up at pardvolunteers@mcallen.net.
Additionally, a call out to all high school bands in the region to participate in the McAllen Holiday Parade was announced, with participating bands receiving a $1,000 scholarship to assist with expenses related to appearing in the parade, or just any other band expenses. Contact the McAllen Parks & Recreation Department to apply to participate in the parade.
“As the leading government agency in our community, we work with multiple institutions and organizations in McAllen, all for the improvement and welfare of McAllen residents,” said McAllen Dist. 5 Comm. Victor “Seby” Haddad. “Now where is this partnership more evident than with the great educational system that is McAllen I.S.D., and, the McAllen Holiday Parade, presented by H-E-B and powered by Bert Ogden Auto Group, is the pinnacle of that relationship, helping us to bring this signature winter holiday entertainment experience for hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors to McAllen, the official South Pole of Texas.”
The parade will step off at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 3, 2022 from the McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium, 2001 N. Bicentennial Blvd. Ticket prices start at $10, plus service fees for in stadium seating for the parade and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or at the McAllen Performing Arts Center Box Office, 801Convention Center Blvd. While there is plenty of free seating along the parade route, on a first come basis, stadium seating is often referred to by as the best seat in the house by parade organizers. They point out the proximity to the parade as it passes by and the stadium lighting which only serves to enhance the lights, color, animation and sound of all the elements as they pass by, as well as being able to catch the stars up close and personal. Additionally, right before the parade kicks off, the festivities kick-off with a holiday musical extravaganza, complete with dancers, fireworks and other surprises that can only be seen in stadium.
“We are proud of the work we do for the community, and we are proud to have such partners and sponsors who share in bringing these events to life and we are especially proud to be celebrating Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year, here together in McAllen, the Official South Pole of Texas,” concluded Vera.
For all of the latest information and updates on the McAllen Holiday Parade, follow the parade and the City of McAllen on social media and all of its streaming platforms.
For the past five years, the McAllen Holiday Parade has been named the Best Parade in the World and the Best Parade in Texas by international and state event industry organizations.
The McAllen Holiday Parade is presented by H-E-B and powered by Bert Ogden Auto Group and proudly sponsored by Budweiser, Reliant, McAllen International Airport and South Padre Island CVB. Other sponsors for the 2022 presentation of the McAllen Holiday Parade 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/Visit McAllen; PepsiCo.; McAllen Public Works; Mike Rhodes – Tres Lagos; AEP Texas; McAllen Economic Development Corp.; Lacks; Doña Lula; Hermes; Whataburger; Cigna Health Care; Taco Palenque; Carollo Engineers; KSA Engineers; MedCare EMS; Halff Associates; Raba Kistner Consultants, Inc.; S&B Infrastructure; AMR; Cigna; IBC; AEP; United One Cleaning.
