Arts & Entertainment
Dominion Energy Christmas Parade is this Saturday
The weather forecast is looking pretty perfect for Saturday. It’s predicted to be mostly sunny with highs in the 60s.
The Dominion Energy Christmas Parade kicks off at the Science Museum of Virginia at 10:15 AM. Traveling eastbound on Broad Street, the parade will conclude at 7th Street near the Richmond Coliseum. The parade also airs LIVE on WTVR CBS6.
Over the years, the Richmond Christmas Parade has been known by several names. From the 1950s to 1974, the event was known as the Thalhimers’ Toy Parade. After a 15-year hiatus, the parade was resurrected by the Richmond Jaycees. For 17 years, Ukrop’s Supermarket was the title sponsor until the beloved Richmond icon was sold in 2009. Dominion Energy saved the Christmas Parade in 2010, becoming the next title sponsor, and the parade has been known as the Dominion Energy Christmas Parade ever since.
Over the years, the Richmond Christmas Parade has celebrated a fabulous lineup of grand marshals! Numerous Richmond locals have been featured including NFL Football Player Willie Lanier (1984), The Walking Dead Actor Chad Coleman (2014), and American Idol Finalist Rayvon Owen (2015). Childhood favorites have also made appearances, such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse (2000), Spongebob Squarepants (2002), Disney’s Aaron Carter (2004), and the Harlem Globetrotters (2009). And who could forget when Paul Simon, Steve Martin, and Chevy Chase took over the Christmas Parade to film a music video in 1991?
This year Snoopy is the Grand Marshall and the parade theme is “Bringing Back the Fun in 2021!” The lineup will feature the usual colorful floats, giant helium balloons, college marching bands, local dance troupes, Legendary Santa, and much more! Honorary Grand Marshals include JMU Softball Pitcher Odicci Alexander and Coach Loren LaPorte. Alexander was the starting pitcher for James Madison University from 2017 to 2021, leading the team to their first-ever Women’s College World Series in 2021. She was also named Softball America’s 2021 NCAA Pitcher of the Year.
The route of the parade is below so start planning your ideal viewing spot.
No conversation about the parade would be complete without showing this video of Rudolph meeting a tragic end in 2010.
