Over 20,000 horsepower and community involvement required to get parade down the streets of McAllen
Earlier today, the McAllen Holiday Parade, presented by H-E-B and powered by Bert Ogden Auto Group, announced fan favorites Mario Lopez’s and Julian Gil’s return as celebrity hosts for the English and Spanish broadcast of the parade, respectively. Additionally, over the past 10 years, Bert Ogden Auto Group has provided over 500 vehicles for the McAllen Holiday Parade, to help get the colorful, animated illuminated floats down the 1.5-mile parade route; this year, another 50 Bert Ogden trucks will provide 20,000 horsepower to pull the floats. Organizers also invited the community to participate in the parade as volunteers and sent a call to high school marching bands from throughout the region to participate in the 11th annual presentation of the largest illuminated holiday and helium balloon parade in Texas, taking place on Saturday, December 7, 2024 and stepping off at 6:00 p.m. from McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium, 2001 N. Bicentennial Blvd.
Celebrating that partnership with Bert Ogden Auto Group, City of McAllen Mayor Pro Tem Omar Quintanilla highlighted the relationship, stating: “For 10 years, the Bert Ogden Auto Group has been a steadfast supporter and a principal sponsor of the McAllen Holiday Parade. Their commitment to our community and to this event is truly unparalleled. The Bert Ogden Auto Group is more than just a business in our city; they are an integral part of the fabric of McAllen. Their dedication to enhancing the lives of our residents through their generous support of community events, charities, and initiatives is something we deeply value and appreciate. The McAllen Holiday Parade has grown to become one of the largest and most spectacular parades in Texas, and it is thanks in large part to the unwavering support of Bert Ogden Auto Group. Their partnership has allowed us to bring in incredible floats, festive marching bands, and international entertainment that delight hundreds of thousands of spectators each year, both here in McAllen and those watching from around the country.”
“Every year, our excitement grows as December approaches: the weather finally changes and we partner with McAllen to create something magical at the official South Pole of Texas,” said Marsha Green, Vice-President of Marketing for Bert Ogden Auto Group. “As the parade continues to grow to new heights, we need the brightest hosts to help share the story of this magical event. What can I say about Mario and Julian, other than that they also love being a part of the McAllen Holiday Parade and we love bringing them down.”
Mario Lopez serves as the host for “Access Hollywood,” the nationally syndicated radio show “On with Mario,” and has hosted the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Julian Gil is a is an Argentine-born Puerto Rican actor, model, producer, businessman and TV host, having been featured in numerous telenovelas. This will be the seventh time for Lopez and sixth time for Gil to return to host the McAllen Holiday Parade.
While tickets for the parade are already on sale now, for anyone wishing to be a part of the parade, volunteer opportunities are available for balloon handlers and banner carriers. Over the years, the City of McAllen volunteer program has evolved into an experience that offers lifelong memories.
“Our goal is to have all of our volunteers leave with a sense of pride knowing that they have a huge impact in helping the City of McAllen’s goal of continuously enhancing the quality of life in our region by fostering civic pride
and providing memorable experiences for residents and visitors alike,” said Carina Jimenez, Assistant Director of Operations for McAllen Parks & Recreation. “The community is invited to sign up to be a part of a balloon handle team for anyone of the 35 helium balloons that are part of the parade. Or, volunteers can light up the parade by holding one of over 100 illuminated banners that walk just in front of the floats, balloons and marching bands.”
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.
Balloon handlers will be part of the phenomenon which happens only at the McAllen Holiday Parade known as the “Vuelta,” which is when the giant balloons are spin around when the crowd cheers. Before the parade steps off, they will also have a chance to compete in the “Vuelta” Spin-Off Contest, where crowd applause will determine the ultimate winner.
The McAllen Holiday Parade is truly an event for the community and region and parade producers recognize that no parade is complete with out amazing musical elements. A call out to all high school bands in the region to participate in the McAllen Holiday Parade was announced, with participating bands receiving a $1,000 scholarship to assist with expenses related to appearing in the parade, or just any other band expenses. Bands interested in bringing the sounds of the holidays to the McAllen Holiday Parade should contact the McAllen Parks & Recreation Department to apply to participate in the parade by calling Sergio Garcia at (956) 681-3320 or by emailing at PARDmarketing@mcallen.net.
As a special Christmas in July gift, general admission tickets for the parade can be purchased starting today with a special Buy 1, Get 1 promotion. Follow the link to purchase tickets for Saturday, December 7, 2024: https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/3A0060E8A6B71B83. The promotion runs through August 31, 2024.
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 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; SOCIALIFE; and Explore McAllen.
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