Everyone loves a parade! The Washington DC area hosts several holiday parades throughout the year. These family events bring the community together to celebrate history, culture, and patriotism. Each parade includes a procession of marching bands, local and national community organizations, floats, and sometimes large balloons. Here is a calendar of annual parades held in Washington, DC and the suburbs of Maryland and Virginia.
February
Chinese New Year Parade: Kick off the new year in Chinatown, Washington, DC with Chinese dragon dances, live musical performances, and more. The celebration is dedicated each year to one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac.
George Washington Birthday Parade: “The Largest Parade Celebrating Washington’s Birthday In America!” Presidents’ Day is celebrated each year in Alexandria, VA.
March
St. Patrick’s Day Parades: You don’t have to be Irish to enjoy this celebration of Irish joy! The parties continue into the afternoon and evening at local Irish pubs throughout Washington, DC, Alexandria and Manassas, VA, and Gaithersburg, MD.
April
National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade: This parade celebrates the arrival of spring and the gift of 3,000 cherry trees that the city of Tokyo gave to our nation’s capital. The parade is one of the highlights of the annual spring festival in Washington, DC.
May
Memorial Day Parade: This Washington DC parade honors those who have died serving our country. Members of every branch of the military participate in this patriotic celebration.
Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Parade: Thousands of motorcycles parade through Washington, DC, calling for the government’s recognition and protection of Prisoners of War (POW) and Missing in Action (MIA). This is a Memorial Day weekend tradition and one of the largest parades in the nation’s capital.
Hometown Vacation: The community Memorial Day celebration takes over the city of Rockville, MD, with local military and cultural groups entertaining the crowd.
June
Capital Pride Parade – The gay and lesbian community shows its spirit with an annual parade and street festival. The event takes over the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, DC over the weekend.
July
Independence Day Parade – The nation’s capital celebrates July 4 with a patriotic parade featuring marching bands, military groups, local and national community organizations, floats and large balloons.
July 4 Parades in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia – Many communities in the region celebrate the Independence Day holiday with a parade.
Baltimore-Washington One Caribbean Carnival – An annual Caribbean-style parade and festival celebrates Caribbean culture with colorful costumes and lively entertainment.
September
Labor Day Parades: Celebrating Labor Day and marking the end of the summer. These parades are an annual tradition for the local communities of Gaithersburg and Kensington, MD.
November
Manassas Veterans Day Parade: Manassas, VA honors all active veterans and military with a community parade through the historic area. Local military and community groups march in the procession.
Thanksgiving Parades – Turkey Day celebrations feature a variety of local groups and seasonal characters in Reston, VA and Silver Spring, MD.
December
Scottish Walk Parade: Hundreds of Scottish clan members with their bagpipes gather for the traditional Scottish favorite parade. This is a long-time favorite event in Old Town, Alexandria, VA.
Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade: Dozens of festively decorated pleasure boats light up the sky along the Potomac River in Alexandria, VA to celebrate the holiday season.
Eastport Yacht Club Parade of Lights: During the annual Christmas tradition, boat owners display their Christmas light decorations across Annapolis Harbor.
Manassas Christmas Parade: The old-fashioned Christmas parade kicks off the holiday season in the city of Manassas, Northern Virginia.
