2025 CHRISTMAS PARADE
After reviewing road conditions and consulting with the Lexington Police Department and the city’s Department of Public Works, we made the difficult decision to cancel the 2025 Lexington Christmas Parade on Friday, December 5. Please scroll down for a note from our executive director and board president.
Sponsored by:
FROM OUR ED & PRESIDENT
As the executive director and president of Main Street Lexington, we wanted to share more details about our cancellation of the Lexington Christmas Parade on Friday.
Please know that we did not make this decision lightly. However, after consulting with our parade committee volunteers and representatives from the Lexington Police Department and the Department of Public Works, we felt like the combination of snow on the ground and the Friday evening forecast (with temperatures hovering around freezing, and the possibility of more light snow or drizzle) created unsafe conditions for both our participants and our attendees. Additionally, large portions of our parade staging area near Maury River Middle School were unusable, despite the great work of DPW and the assistance of Rockbridge County Public Schools.
Unfortunately, moving the parade to a different date was not a viable option. Large events that involve street closures require formal approval from Lexington City Council, which must be procured well in advance. And that’s just one of many factors; our parade also involves extensive coordination with city staff, our amazing team of volunteers, the Virginia Horse Center, and numerous other organizations from our supportive community. We also want to be respectful of the parades and other holiday events around Lexington and Rockbridge County. That being said, we are going to explore the feasibility of a “snow date” going forward.
None of this changes the fact that many community organizations, school groups, churches, businesses, and others put considerable time and effort into designing floats and rehearsing performances. We are deeply regretful that we could not showcase these wonderful entries in 2025, and that our community was unable to take part in this beloved annual tradition. We understand and share in your disappointment.
Thank you all for your continued support of our nonprofit organization. We look forward to regrouping and putting on a great parade in 2026.
All parade participants will receive an email during the week of December 8 about processing a refund for your entry. Please direct all other questions to us at [email protected].
On behalf of the MSL board and staff, we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a joyous holiday season.
Jeremy Franklin, Executive Director
and John Morman, 2025-26 President
Main Street Lexington
Please know that we did not make this decision lightly. However, after consulting with our parade committee volunteers and representatives from the Lexington Police Department and the Department of Public Works, we felt like the combination of snow on the ground and the Friday evening forecast (with temperatures hovering around freezing, and the possibility of more light snow or drizzle) created unsafe conditions for both our participants and our attendees. Additionally, large portions of our parade staging area near Maury River Middle School were unusable, despite the great work of DPW and the assistance of Rockbridge County Public Schools.
Unfortunately, moving the parade to a different date was not a viable option. Large events that involve street closures require formal approval from Lexington City Council, which must be procured well in advance. And that’s just one of many factors; our parade also involves extensive coordination with city staff, our amazing team of volunteers, the Virginia Horse Center, and numerous other organizations from our supportive community. We also want to be respectful of the parades and other holiday events around Lexington and Rockbridge County. That being said, we are going to explore the feasibility of a “snow date” going forward.
None of this changes the fact that many community organizations, school groups, churches, businesses, and others put considerable time and effort into designing floats and rehearsing performances. We are deeply regretful that we could not showcase these wonderful entries in 2025, and that our community was unable to take part in this beloved annual tradition. We understand and share in your disappointment.
Thank you all for your continued support of our nonprofit organization. We look forward to regrouping and putting on a great parade in 2026.
All parade participants will receive an email during the week of December 8 about processing a refund for your entry. Please direct all other questions to us at [email protected].
On behalf of the MSL board and staff, we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a joyous holiday season.
Jeremy Franklin, Executive Director
and John Morman, 2025-26 President
Main Street Lexington
