The 77th Novant Health Thanksgiving Eve Parade is fast approaching, and organizers are hard at work preparing for the event. Charlotte Center City Partners, the organizer of the parade, recently held a work day to clean, paint, decorate, and refurbish the floats. The parade is set to take place on November 22, and it is expected to be a spectacular event.
This year’s parade marks the 77th year of the tradition, making it the fourth-largest of its kind in the country and the biggest in the southeast. The Charlotte Center City Partners is instrumental in bringing the event to life. The organization’s staff members come together once a year to offer their assistance in getting the floats ready. A work day was scheduled in late October for the staff to participate in cleaning, painting, decorating, and refurbishing the floats.
There are 90 individual entries confirmed for the parade this year, including floats, bands, and dance groups. Some popular floats from previous years will be back, while there will also be new additions to the parade. Notably, Santa will have a brand-new float this year, adding to the excitement of the event.
Brianna Bowers, who works at Charlotte Center City Partners, expressed her excitement about being a first-time volunteer at the parade. Bowers played a role in helping decorate a Christmas float and is eager to attend the event, hoping to spread holiday cheer.
Nearly 1,000 volunteers have signed up to be part of the televised event, which typically attracts around 100,000 spectators. The parade is set to kick off at 5:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving eve, making it the perfect way to start the holiday season in Uptown Charlotte.