Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting

Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting - Friday, November 21, 2025

The City of Hickory traditionally hosts its annual holiday season kick-off event, the Lowes Foods Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting, the Friday before Thanksgiving. This year's holiday kickoff event is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, at 5:45 p.m. Lowes Foods has been the sponsor of this festive event since the first year. Immediately following the parade through downtown, Santa will light the tree on Union Square. Enjoy holiday music, shopping specials, and more!

Parade Route

The parade follows the route below:

Parade starts at the intersection of 4th Street NW and 1st Avenue NW
Continue on 1st Avenue NW towards City Hall
Turns right on North Center Street
Turns right on Main Avenue NW
Continues through Union Square and exits on Main Avenue NW (Santa will be dropped off at Union Square before exiting downtown)

FAQs

When does registration begin to participate in the parade?

Registration for parade entries will open on Oct. 1, 2025, for organizations within Hickory city limits.

Do you allow food trucks and other vendors?

No, due to the complexity of this event and the limited parking available, we do not invite food trucks or other vendors.

What time are the roads closed in downtown Hickory?

At 3 p.m., 4th Street and everything west on Main Avenue to 1st Avenue will be closed. After 3 p.m., please exit downtown heading East. At 5:15 p.m., the full parade route is closed, and you will not be able to exit downtown until the parade is over.

Will Santa be available to take photos at the Tree Lighting?

No, Santa will depart for the North Pole after the tree lighting and will not be available for photos at the Tree Lighting. A winter wonderland snow globe, sponsored by MBA Roofing, will be on Union Square throughout the Parade & Tree Lighting for attendees to enter and take photographs. Santa will be available for photos the following day, Saturday, Nov. 22, during the City's Holidaypalooza event on Union Square.

Contacts

Registration for parade entries opens on Oct. 1, 2025, for organizations within Hickory city limits. For questions about the parade, please contact Recreation Manager Kyle Mishler at (828) 261-2259 or kmishler@hickorync.gov. For questions about the tree lighting, please contact the Office of Communications at (828) 261-2290.

2024 Winter Wonderland Snow Globe Photos

If you visited the City's snow globe on Union Square in 2024 and had your photo taken, those photos are available at Snow Globe 2024. To save your photo, please follow these simple instructions:

Click on the photo below to access the entire album on Google Photos.
Scroll through the photos and find the one you want to download.
Click on the photo to enlarge it.
Right click and select "Save Image As" or click on the three dots in the top right to select "Download."
Your download is complete! Repeat for any other photos you want to download and save.

Click on Snow Globe 2024 to view the entire album on Google Photos.