SPI Vuelta Zone highlights to feature celebrity DJs and favorite balloon
Earlier today, organizers of the international award-winning McAllen Holiday Parade, presented by H-E-B and powered by Bert Ogden Auto Group announced the return of the South Padre Island Vuelta Zone, a special “party within the parade” party zone, featuring celebrity iHeart radio hosts Rich from the John Jay & Rich Show and his co-host, Payton, as well as live music, official South Padre Island Vuelta Zone t-shirt, noisemaker, special gifts, reserved seating and, the only official spot along the 1.5 mile-long parade route where the giant helium character balloons will make the famous vuelta. Tickets for this zone are on sale now at www.mcallenholidayparade.com.
To keep the South Padre Island beach fun atmosphere throughout the parade, attendees will get to enjoy the including traveling South Padre Island parade float entitled “Texas’ Best Beach,” as well as the iconic crowd favorite colossal balloon, Ridley the Sea Turtle. He will be joining Sponge Bob Square Pants and Hello Kitty, as well as 30-plus more helium balloons that will be making their MHP debut this year including
“Since its creation, the McAllen Holiday Parade has partnered with South Padre Island to take the beautiful SPI parade float across the state to share our top destination with Texas,” said SPI Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Blake Henry.
According to McAllen City Manager Isaac J. Tawil, the parade’s partnership with South Padre Island has created something that fits a shared commitment to hospitality – an interactive holiday experience that puts guests at the center of it all.
Bands interested in participating in the eight-time internationally recognized Best Parade in the World should contact the McAllen Parks & Recreation Department by calling (956) 681-3320 or by emailing at PARDmarketing@mcallen.net.
Volunteers for balloon handlers and banner carriers are still needed. Balloon handler volunteers must be 18 years or over, while banner carriers must be 16 years or over. All volunteers must go through a background check and will receive gloves, t-shirt and snacks. Learn more by visiting Las Palmas Community Center located at 1921 N 25th Street or by calling Las Palmas at (956) 681-3350.
Anyone interested in participating in the McAllen Holiday Shoebox Parade, a pintsize celebration of the big parade, have less than one month to submit their holiday parade entry – on a shoebox. Open to children, adults, families, schools, non-profits and civic organizations, all creativity and imagination is invited to participate. MHP tickets and swag will be given to every entry for this year’s parade. The grand prize will be VIP MHP Stadium Tickets and Meet & Greet Passes for the 2025 presentation of the parade along with and a $50 VISA gift card for 2nd and 3rd place prizes. Winning entries will be announced at the 2025 Christmas in July press conference.
The deadline to enter is Wednesday, November 27, 2024 by 12:00 p.m. at McAllen City Hall, Office of Communications. The winning entries will be premiered in a televised production in stadium, on MCN and on all streaming platforms on Saturday, December 7, right before the McAllen Holiday Parade steps off.
Celebrity hosts Mario Lopez and Linda Tovar will make their return appearance for the English rebroadcast of the parade and international star Julian Gil for the Spanish-language rebroadcast. The McAllen Holiday Parade airs on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the top 33 U.S. Hispanic markets, while airing live locally on every network. Tickets for the parade are already on sale and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets start at just $10. Act quickly, as the stadium is expected to sell out!
For the latest information on the parade, follow McAllen Holiday Parade and the City of McAllen on all social media platforms.
The McAllen Holiday Parade is presented by H-E-B and powered by Bert Ogen 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 University of Texas RGV; Lone Star Ambulance; J Gonzalez Injury Attorneys; Budweiser-L&F Distributors; McAllen International Bridge System; McAllen Public Utility; Metro McAllen; South Texas Vo-Tech; PepsiCo.; Matt’s Building Materials; 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/McAllen Recycling Center; Explore McAllen; McAllen Shines; IBC; Rhodes Enterprise & Esperanza Homes; Lacks; McAllen Chamber of Commerce; Hermes; McAllen I.S.D.; Linebarger Attorney at Law; South Texas I.S.D.; General Mills; PNC Bank; O’Reilly Auto Parts; Pollux Castor Creative; McAllen Economic Development Corp.; Peña Eye Institute; KSA Engineers; Plains Capital Bank; Carollo Engineers; Palenque Group; Halff Associates; B2Z Engineering; City of Puerto Vallarta; Raba Kistner Consultants, Inc. and Diocese of Brownsville. Media partners for the parade include Nexstar CBS4-NBC23; iHeart Radio; Radio United; Latino Media Network; MyRGV.com; Revista Expresión; El Periodico U.S.A.; Advance News; Lamar; Más Music; Noticias RGV 5.2; Entravision; KRGV Channel 5; TV Azteca; Telemundo 40; SOCIALIFE Magazine.
# # #
@mcallenparade @mcallenholidayparade McAllen Holiday Parade