Holiday Lighted Parade & Tree Lighting

DOWNTOWN PORTAGE HOLIDAY PARADE & TREE LIGHTING 
 
The Downtown Portage Business Improvement District is excited to be hosting the Holiday Parade! We invite you to join us and participate in the parade on Friday, November 28, 2025.  

PARADE ENTRY FORM 2025 

2025 THEME: "Candy Cane Lane" a fun, festive celebration of sweets, color, and holiday magic! Think of a whimsical street lined with candy-striped lampposts, peppermint swirls, gumdrops, gingerbread houses, lollipops, and sugarplum dreams. Floats can bring the theme to life in many ways: Classic Candy Cane Style, Gingerbread Village, North Pole Candy Factory, Sugarplum Fantasy, Sweet Holiday Characters.

The route is entirely on Cook Street (Hwy 33). It starts at the corner of MacFarlane Road and Cook Street in front of St. Mary Church. It will proceed east down Cook Street to the Market Square parking lot where it will end.  The Tree Lighting with Santa Claus will follow at Commerce Plaza and the The Portage Presbyterian Church will be serving hot cocoa and cider at Commerce Plaza during the parade. 
 
All area schools, churches, businesses and private parties are encouraged to participate and help celebrate the holidays with us. All are welcome to help make this a grand community event. We ask only that parade entries have a holiday theme and that your entry be lit with lights.

 
PARADE DETAILS:

• Holiday Parade is Friday, November 28, 2025 at 6PM. Registrations are due by 11/21/25
• Do not incorporate a Santa in your unit, as the “real one” will be featured along with the Portage Fire Department at the end of the parade.
• No candy throwing is permitted from the vehicles. Please walk along the route to distribute candy. 
• The parade will take place entirely on Cook Street (Hwy 33). It will begin at the corner of MacFarlane Road and Cook Street in front of St. Mary Church. It will proceed east down Cook Street to the Market Square parking lot where it will end.
• Lineup will begin at 430PM. Parade entrants will be staged by your arrival on MacFarlane Road. Enter the parade staging area from West Pleasant and proceed to the intersection at MacFarlane Road.
• Tree lighting is immediately after the parade at Commerce Plaza.