Seven-time named Best Parade in the World invite community to celebrate a “Noche Magica” at the official South Pole of Texas
Earlier today, the City of McAllen jumpstarted the holiday festivities with Christmas in July, unveiling the 2024 theme of the McAllen Holiday Parade, presented by H-E-B and powered by Bert Ogden Auto Group. This year, the largest illuminated holiday and helium balloon parade in Texas will be celebrating a “Noche Magica.” Additionally, the winners of the 2023 McAllen Holiday Shoebox Parade were announced, with the winning shoebox float entry to be made into a 30-foot life-size float that will be featured when the parade steps off at 6:00 p.m. from McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium on Saturday, December 7, 2024.
According to McAllen Holiday Parade organizers, the 2024 theme for the parade represents new ideas, new surprises and new holiday magic. Magic that comes from the heart of the McAllen holiday experience: the community. Their traditions, imagination and spirit of celebration, passed on from generation to generation. The entire community is invited to come celebrate the magic of South Texas culture at this year’s 11th presentation of the international award-winning parade.
Echoing the spirit of community and proudly returning once again as the presenting sponsor for the seven-time named Best Parade in the World, is H-E-B. Andre Lozano, H-E-B Border Region Marketing & Merchandising Manager stated, “Just as Texas and H-E-B have a long history, H-E-B has always been a part of the South Texas community. H-E-B and the McAllen Holiday Parade have come a long way together over the past ten years, working side-by-side to brighten the holidays for the people here in the Rio Grande Valley community. In fact, we look forward to many years of holiday magic to come. We invite you, and all of Texas, to experience our best holiday season yet at the 2024 McAllen Holiday Parade as your title sponsor.”
Last year, the City of McAllen invited the entire Rio Grande Valley to submit entries for the McAllen Holiday Shoebox Parade, a pint-sized version of the big parade, encouraging the community to be as creative and festive as possible, creating a parade float – on a shoebox. Aside from tickets to the 2023 event and MHP swag, the grand prize for the competition was the winning entry would be made into a life-size float for the following year’s parade. The winning entry, “Squirrelin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” was created by McHi Art Society students. Judges were all in agreement that the entry had imagination, creativity and plenty of Christmas spirit.
“Aside from the fun and creativity that the McAllen Holiday Shoebox Parade brings, this is the one event that allows the entire community to participate, from young and young at heart, from children to adults and everyone in between. The McAllen Holiday Shoebox Parade allows us all to not only celebrate, but also, bring to life, the Christmas spirit . . . in miniature.”
Other winners included: Family - Xitlaly Villanueva Meyers and Matthew Meyers for “Mr. Claus on Vacation;” Adult – Sabrina Diaz, for “Santa’s Palm Paradise.” The School category was more competitive; aside from McHi Art Society, second place went to McAllen Memorial High School students Rene Leal & Jazmin Lopez, along with their teacher Rena Roberts, for “The 956 Express” and third place went to IDEA Los Encinos for “Christmas Vaquerito.”
Attendees to this year’s event can catch the parade with ticketed and free seating anywhere along the 1.5 mile parade route, enjoying the over 50 illuminated and animated floats designed by City of McAllen employees at the McAllen Float Studio. The floats are powered by 12,000 horsepower by over 50 trucks from the Bert Ogden Auto Group and boast 15 miles of rope light and generate 1 million, 875,000 lumens of light to properly illuminate the parade Over 30 giant, Macy’s Parade-style helium balloons use approximately 44,500 cubic feet of helium that turn when the audience yells “Vuelta,” a unique element that doesn’t happen at any other parade in the world except the McAllen Holiday Parade .
Future announcements will include international celebrities of TV, film, radio, music and of course, everyone’s favorites from Dallas, Texas, that delight fans of every age. The best local high school marching bands from throughout the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas will be invited to join in bringing the sounds of the holidays to all MHP attendees. Also returning again in 2024 is the MHP Sweepstakes, which will offer amazing prizes; a free Park & Ride for everyone attending the parade; and of course, some of the best seats in the house at the South Padre Island Vuelta Zone and the McAllen International Airport Skybox Experience, festive areas that have proven to be parties within the party for everyone in attendance.
Other features will include the free, family-friendly festival, Christmas in the Park, that features food, games, a carnival, local community performances and free concerts with the best in Tejano, Norteño, Regional, and Country, just to name a few and the South Pole Illuminated Festival, which features the largest digital Christmas tree in America. Stay tuned for more announcements including ticket sales and celebrity appearances.
According City of McAllen officials, the McAllen Holiday Parade is a gift that gives South Texas families a one-of-a-kind holiday experience to look forward to year-after-year, and a destination event that has generated millions of dollars in economic impact over the years.
The McAllen Holiday Parade is presented by H-E-B and powered by Bert Ogden Auto Group and proudly sponsored by McAllen International Airport, South Padre Island CVB, Reliant and Lone Star National Bank. Other sponsors of the McAllen Holiday Parade include Budweiser-L&F Distributors, McAllen International Bridge System; McAllen Public Utility; Metro McAllen; South Texas Vo-Tech; University of Texas RGV; Matt’s Building Materials; PepsiCo.; Valley Aids Council; South Texas College; McDonald’s; Driscoll Children’s Hospital; Chick-fil-A Rio Grande Valley; American Electric Power Foundation; McAllen Public Works; IBC; Lacks; McAllen Chamber of Commerce; Hermes; Peña Eye Institute; McAllen I.S.D.; Linebarger Attorneys at Law; General Mills; PNC Bank; O’Reilly Auto Parts; McAllen Economic Development Corp.; Doña Lula; Tres Lagos Master Planned Community; Pollux Castor Creative; Explore McAllen; KSA Engineers; Plains Capital Bank; Palenque Group; Halff Associates; B2Z Engineering; and Raba Kistner Consultants, Inc. Media partners for the parade include Advance News; AIM Media; El Periodico U.S.A.; iHeart Media; Entravision; KRGV Channel 5, KRGV Noticias RGV 5.2; TV Azteca; Telemundo 40; Lamar; Latino Media Network; Más Music; Nexstar CBS4-NBC23; Radio United; Revista Expresión; Sociallife; and Explore McAllen; .
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