(McAllen, TX)  This Saturday, the McAllen Holiday Parade will help to light up San Antonio’s Fiesta night sky as the parade will feature a float in the 2017 Fiesta Flambeau Parade.  With an estimated 700,000 attendees and 1.5 million ABC-network television viewers, the 2.6 mile long Fiesta Flambeau Parade is the largest illuminated parade in the world.  As the parade travels through the streets of downtown San Antonioand in front of the historic Alamo, it is the spectacular culmination of the 11-day Fiesta San Antonio celebration. 

“This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase McAllen and the beautiful celebration that is the McAllen Holiday Parade,” said City of McAllen Mayor Jim Darling.  “Just recently, the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley released a survey that highlighted that approximately 20% of our Holiday Parade-attendees are from out of town.  If we can encourage folks from San Antonio and beyond to head down to McAllen for our amazing parade, they would remember how great it is to spend time in the Rio Grande Valley in December, as well as the rest of the year.”

Echoing Mayor Darling’s enthusiasm about the McAllen Holiday Parade float appearance in this year’s San Antonio night parade was Fiesta Flambeau President, Trina Guevara, stating, “We are so excited to have our sister city McAllen represented in our parade; we love lights and so does McAllen!” 

The float that will be showcased is the one that closes the McAllen Holiday Parade and brings Santa Claus to town.  The float is 12 feet wide by 34 feet long and 14 feet high and feature’s Santa’s sleigh being pulled by reindeer flying over the newly renovated La Plaza Mall, a subtle nod to the great shopping found here in McAllen, thanks to parade sponsor, La Plaza Mall.  Aside from the presence of the jolly man in red on the float and local models from Missy’s Modeling, City of McAllen Parks & Recreation staff will walk alongside the float throughout the entire parade route.  Christmas music will be played from the float, with a message from St. Nick, inviting everyone to “come experience the magic of Christmas in McAllen.” 

The float will come out in the first vanguard section of the parade, #A-35 sandwiched in between the San Antonio Fiesta Commission Royalty float and San Antonio’s Southwest High School Mighty Dragon Band in front and the Kerrville Tivy High School Mighty Antler Band and the City of Floresville Peanut Festival Float immediately behind.

The McAllen Holiday Parade is the largest illuminated holiday and helium-balloon parade in Texas and will be held on Saturday, December 2, 2017.   Over 255,000 attendees enjoyed the McAllen Holiday Parade last year.