76th Annual H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade

The City of Houston, led by Mayor John Whitmire, will kick off the holiday season with the 76th Annual H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thurs., Nov. 27, beginning at 9 a.m. in downtown Houston.

The City of Houston, led by Mayor John Whitmire, will once again kick off the holiday season with the 76th Annual H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday, November 27, 2025, beginning at 9 a.m. in downtown Houston. This year’s parade will be led by a fun and familiar lineup of Grand Marshals, Houston’s beloved sports mascots Clutch, Diesel, Orbit, and Toro— bringing hometown spirit and energy to the Thanksgiving morning tradition. The parade will also feature a dazzling lineup of new floats, live performances, and beloved holiday characters sure to delight attendees of all ages.

The 2025 lineup will showcase a dynamic range of talent from national recording artists to hometown favorites, creating an unforgettable celebration including:

Christian music star Danny Gokey will perform on the KSBJ float.

Rising country star Payton Howie will perform on the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo float.

Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) will delight audiences with a medley from White Christmas: The Musical.

Fan-favorite dance teams, the Apache Belles will return to impress crowds with their signature precision and kick line.

Houston’s own Kam Franklin, lead singer of The Suffers will bring her soulful voice to the Santa float with a spirited rendition of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.”

Local performance group Adams Davy will perform a lively song-and-dance number.

Additional highlights include a spotlight performance by SoReal Dance Studio, and an exciting opening act featuring "You Can't Stop the Beat" from the Broadway hit musical, Hairspray. It will feature performances by Houston favorites Christina Wells, Gloria Price, Bridgette Taylor, and a special appearance by Olivier Award winner, Tye Blue.

This year’s parade will feature 15 floats and 11 balloons, including several highly anticipated debuts. Among the new additions is a tribute float honoring legendary Houston artist David Adickes, creator of the iconic We Love Houston sign, President Heads, and Sam Houston statue; and a brand-new FIFA World Cup '26 Houston Host City Committee float celebrating Houston’s global spotlight ahead of the city hosting the 2026 World Cup. Attendees can also look forward to all-new, character balloons, including Smurfette, Cat in the Hat, and The Grinch™, as well as a towering 50-foot Golden Dragon, a 40-foot H-E-Buddy, and more. Returning crowd-pleasers like Orbit and the Houston Astros Cheerleaders will join six marching bands from across the region, ensuring the streets of downtown Houston are once again filled with music, color, and joy.

Houston’s inaugural Thanksgiving Day Parade began in 1949 when Santa arrived at Union Station and rode his sleigh to the downtown Foley’s department store. Today, the annual parade is produced by the Mayor’s Office of Special Events. It will begin on Smith at Lamar, head north to Walker, east to Milam, south to Pease, west to Louisiana, north to Clay, west to Smith, and north ending at Smith and Dallas.

The H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade is made possible by H-E-B and the following segment sponsor: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Additional sponsors include Airgas, an Air Liquide company, CITGO, KSBJ and Vida Unida, University of Houston Downtown, FIFA World Cup '26 Houston Host City Committee, Hyatt Regency, McDonalds Houston and Radio One. The parade television broadcast and streaming partner is ABC13.

The Annual H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade is free and open to the public. A limited number of premium seats are available and can be purchased at houstonthanksgivingparade.org for $28.25 each, including service fee. Curbside space along the route for lawn chairs and blankets will be plentiful.