Christmas Parade

The Fredericksburg Christmas Parade will be held rain, shine or snow in downtown Fredericksburg on Saturday, December 2, 2023 at 5:30pm. In the highly unusual event that severe weather requires a cancellation, we will notify people through our Fred Alerts “Events Notification” list. We would also post notifications on Facebook @FredParksRec and through our media partner B101.5 radio. The parade will not be rescheduled.

The parade is held along Caroline and Princess Anne Streets in Downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia. The parade is free to attend and the public invited. Please dress for cold weather and wear walking shoes. Come early and stay late!! Enjoy downtown shops and restaurants before and after the parade.

Parade Parking

View City Parking Map (click here)

Parking Lots:

Parking Lot: 1000 block Sophia Street.
Parking Lot: 800-900 block of Sophia Street, end of George Street.
Parking Lot: 600 block of Sophia Street, directly across the street from the Sophia Street Parking Garage).
Paid Parking Garage: Intersection of Sophia Street and Wolfe Street (Entrance on Wolfe Street). $2 first three hours, $1 each additional hour. Maximum day $8.
Parking Lot: 400 block of Sophia Street, just south of railroad tracks, restricted to City residents Mon.-Fri., 5AM-6PM.
City Dock Parking: 207 Sophia Street.
Parking Lot: Behind 904 Princess Anne St., accessible from Princess Anne and Charles Streets, Mon.- Fri., 6PM-6AM & 24 hours on weekends.
Parking Lot: 410 William St. (Virginia Partners Bank). 18 spaces behind bank, Mon.-Fri., 6PM-8AM, after 12PM on Saturday (after banking hours) and all day Sunday.
Parking Lot: 1016 Charles St. (corner of Charles and Amelia Streets) 29 spaces available 24 hours weekdays and weekends. Additional 17 spaces available Mon.-Fri., 6PM-2AM and 24 hours on weekends. Entrances on Charles and Amelia Streets, exits located on Prince Edward and Amelia Streets.
Paid Parking Garage: Winchester Street. Privately owned, see signage for rates and restrictions.
Library Parking: 1201 Caroline Street, Part-Time availability, see signage for restrictions.
Community Center: 408 Canal Street, Part-Time availability, see signage for restrictions.

Street Parking –Street parking is available on a first come, first served basis. If you park on the street, make sure you obey all posted signage and restrictions and do not block any driveways or alleys. Please do not park in any private parking lots unless you have express permission from the property owner to do so.

Towing - Contracted towing companies, not the Police Department, are authorized to tow vehicles from most private lots. If you are towed the day of the event, please call Fredericksburg Police Headquarters at 540-373-3122 option #2.

No Parking - There will be no parking along the parade route and on some adjacent side streets beginning at 2:00 p.m. on the day of the parade. There will be signs in place to indicate the restrictions. The Police Department will have vehicles towed at the owners’ expense on Saturday afternoon that have not been removed from the street.

Street Closures

Timeline for streets impacted by Christmas Parade:

2:00pm – Parking restrictions begin at VRE Lot located at Sophia Street and Frederick Street, towing enforced.

2:00pm – Parking restrictions begin on the following streets in downtown, towing enforced where signage posted. There will be signs in place to indicate the restrictions and vehicles will be towed at the owners’ expense on that Saturday afternoon that have not been removed from the street.

300-1000 blocks of Caroline Street
100-200 blocks of Amelia Street
500-1200 block of Princess Anne Street
100-300 blocks of George Street and William Street
100-400 blocks of Wolfe St, Charlotte St and Hanover St
800 block of Charles Street

3:30pm – Streets listed above will be closed to through traffic

5:30pm – Parade begins

9:00pm – Streets reopen after parade cleanup

Read our Spectator FAQ’s below:

1. Where can I watch the parade?

Viewing locations along the route are available on a first come, first served basis; however, this is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate some holiday cheer to your fellow parade viewers!

Feel free to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets to sit on. Show a little extra kindness and courtesy to children and those with limited mobility, stay down in front so those behind you don’t miss seeing their favorite parade entry. And while we all love dogs (especially those dressed up for Christmas), your dog must be on a leash and crowd-friendly.

The parade can be viewed from the sidewalk on both sides of the street along the route. (Exception: the sidewalk in front of the courthouse is closed.) There will be barricades at all intersections along the parade route to keep the audience out of the street and to allow avenues for pedestrian crossing.

There will be a parade marshal at each barricaded intersection to keep these areas clear and to facilitate safe emergency crossing, and there will be a large contingent of uniformed police officers posted throughout the area.

2. Where is parking for the parade?

First and foremost, we cannot stress enough how important carpooling is. Please visit our parking page for a complete list of parking lots.

Contracted towing companies, not the Police Department, are authorized to tow vehicles from most private lots. If you are towed the day of the event, please call Fredericksburg Police Headquarters at 540-373-3122 option #2.

There will be no parking along the parade route and on some adjacent side streets beginning at 2:00 p.m. on the day of the parade. There will be signs in place to indicate the restrictions. The Police Department will have vehicles towed at the owners’ expense on Saturday afternoon that have not been removed from the street.

Handicap Parking – Designated handicap parking is available in the VRE drop off lot. There are 13 spaces available. Please see parade map for location.
Parking Garage– The city parking garage will be available for $2.00 per car.

3. In case of bad weather, is the parade canceled?

The parade will be held rain, snow or shine. However, in the event of extreme weather and safety concerns City Police and Fire may require cancelation. There will be no postponement or rescheduling of the parade.

Please register for notifications for Fredericksburg Alert so that you receive weather related alerts and updates regarding the parade. Individual phone calls with updates will not be made.

4. What streets are going to be closed on the day of the event?

Please refer to the parade map and street closure notice. The streets along the parade route and some adjacent side streets will be closed to vehicular traffic beginning at 2:00p.m. The roads will remain closed until city maintenance crews finish cleaning the route – all streets are expected to be open by 9 p.m.

5. What time do I set up chairs on the parade route?

We do not have a recommendation for when or where chairs should be set up along the parade route. Please keep in mind that stores and restaurants are open on Saturday, and people will want access to them. The streets close to all traffic at 3:30pm along the route, and the parade starts at 5:30pm. We ask everyone (sitting and standing) not to block storefronts, sidewalks, egresses, crosswalks and handicap ramps. If our police see a safety hazard they will ask people to move to alleviate the hazard.

6. What is the timeline for parade day?

Streets will close and towing will begin at the parking lot bound by Sophia St., Frederick St., & Caroline St. at 2:00 p.m. From around 3:30pm-5:00pm participants start arriving in designated time slots (provided at participant meeting in November) to their spots. See the parade map for street/lot closings.

It is also strongly recommended that you register for Fredericksburg Alert so that you receive weather related alerts and updates regarding the parade.

7. Where are restrooms along the parade route?

There will be portable restrooms at various locations around the parade route, and the permanent facilities will be available at the Visitor Center and at City Hall. Refer to the parade map for details.

8. Is it okay to bring my dog?

Dog are permitted in this public setting but are discouraged due to the crowds. All dogs are required to be on a leash and they need to be extremely crowd-friendly. Also, please remember that failing to pick up your dog’s waste is a ticket-able offense.

9. Am I allowed to have alcohol at the event?

Use of alcohol, marijuana (including marijuana-enriched products) and any illegal substances are absolutely prohibited. Disregarding this rule will result in immediate removal from the parade.

10. How can I be a vendor at the parade?

For safety reasons, the City of Fredericksburg has prohibited vendors within the parade footprint during the Fredericksburg Christmas Parade. No one is permitted to set up on the sidewalks nor on the streets anywhere in the parade footprint on parade day between the hours of 3:30pm – 9:00pm.

11. Who were the winning groups?

We will announce the winners on this website on Monday after the parade.

12. Do you have a Lost and Found?

A parade representative will be located at the judges stand to collect lost and found items. Children who are separated from their group will be taken to the judge’s stand. Adults who are separated will ALSO be taken to the judge’s stand.

13. Who is the main point of contact for the parade? How do I get in touch with them?

Fredericksburg Parks & Recreation is the main point of contact for the parade. They can be reached at 540-372-1086 or at fredchristmasparade@gmail.com.

Fredericksburg Parks & Recreation is open Monday-Thursday 9am-8:00pm, Friday 9am-4:00pm and closed Saturday and Sunday. Administrative offices have different hours of operation however; the front desk can assist you in person with general questions.

Drones are prohibited at the Fredericksburg Christmas Parade.