TOPEKA (KSNT) – A 30-year strong Topeka holiday tradition is promising to deliver a big Christmas parade through the Capital City’s downtown area this weekend.
Topeka’s annual Miracle on Kansas Avenue Parade is set to take place on Saturday, Dec. 6 to herald the arrival of Christmas in 2025. Downtown Topeka, Inc. reports this year’s parade will feature up to 200 floats, marching bands, parade entries and Santa Claus.
“We hope to make the 30th anniversary parade bigger than ever, truly capturing the joy of Christmas and the holidays in Topeka,” said John Koop, vice president of Events and Member Engagements at the Greater Topeka Partnership. “Expect new floats, incredible marching bands, and, of course, the arrival of Santa to make this year’s parade unforgettable!”
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The parade will kick off with a tree lighting ceremony that starts at 5:30 p.m. at Evergy Plaza which will be followed by marching bands and floats on Kansas Avenue. The parade will start at 6 p.m. on the day of the event and use the following route:
- Starts at the Judicial Branch parking lot.
- Travels east on Southwest 11th Street.
- Turns north onto South Kansas Avenue.
- Travels north on South Kansas Avenue to Southwest Seventh Street.
- Turns west onto Southwest Seventh Street.
- Continues on Southwest Seventh Street then turns north onto Southwest Van Buren.
- Parade route ends.
Prior to the parade, there will also be a Christmas Village set up at Evergy Plaza that will be open at 4 p.m. while a fireworks display is set up for after the parade concludes, according to the Greater Topeka Partnership. Topeka Mayor Mike Padilla will serve as the grand marshal for the parade.
“The Miracle on Kansas Avenue Parade is a holiday tradition for thousands of Kansans across the greater Topeka region,” said Austin Taylor, general manager of Giant Communications, the presenting sponsor of the 30th Annual Miracle on Kansas Avenue Parade. “We are proud to be part of this year’s celebration, and we look forward to bringing something new and exciting to the event. Our team can’t wait to join the community in celebrating the holidays this year.”
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People will be unable to park along the parade route starting at 10 a.m. on Dec. 3 with vehicles found along the route being towed and ticketed. The City of Topeka encourages people wishing to attend the event to use nearby public lots and parking garages or plan to carpool to the event.
You can learn more about the parade by heading to Downtown Topeka, Inc.’s website.
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