The 47th Cary Jaycees Christmas Parade is 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, 2026, on East Chatham and South Academy streets. Santa visits that morning.

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Updated each year: this page is refreshed in place as the town and organizers post new dates. Facts come from the Cary Jaycees, Downtown Cary Park and the Town of Cary’s Heart of the Holidays page.

The 47th annual Cary Jaycees Christmas Parade is 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, 2026, in downtown Cary, according to the Jaycees’ parade page. The parade includes bands, mascots, local businesses, community groups and churches, and WRAL plans to livestream it again.

Who to call

  • Parade questions: Cary Jaycees, parade@caryjaycees.org
  • Town holiday events: Cary 311, or 919-469-4000 from outside town limits
  • Downtown Cary Park: 919-653-7180

The parade route

The parade starts on East Chatham Street at Ward Street, proceeds down East Chatham to South Academy Street, turns left onto South Academy and ends at Dry Avenue in front of the Cary Arts Center.

  • Road closures: Cary police direct traffic and close East Chatham and South Academy along the route. Parking on those streets is not allowed during the parade.
  • Parking: there is no designated parade parking. Use any Town of Cary public parking; the four downtown decks are free (see our getting around guide).
  • Safety rules: no candy is thrown from floats; walkers hand candy out from the sidewalk, which keeps spectators out of the street, the Jaycees say.
  • Want to march? Groups register through the Jaycees’ page; fees rise after Nov. 8.

Santa’s Workshop

Before the parade, Santa’s Workshop runs 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, at the Academy Pavilion and Plaza in Downtown Cary Park, 327 S. Academy St., according to the park’s event page.

The tree lighting

The town’s Heart of the Holidays celebration brings decorations, a tree lighting and holiday events downtown each season. The 2026 tree lighting date had not been posted when we checked.

Last year: the free Tree Lighting Celebration at Downtown Cary Park ran 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, with activities and performances through the day and the official tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m., according to the park’s 2025 event page. Academy Street from Park Street to Dry Avenue closed from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Free parking was at the Walnut Street deck behind the Cary Regional Library, the Town Hall deck at 121 Wilkinson Ave., the Cary Elementary lot on Faculty Avenue and on downtown streets. Downtown decorations were up from Nov. 28, 2025, to Jan. 5, 2026.

More holiday lights

  • N.C. Chinese Lantern Festival: Nov. 21, 2026, through Jan. 10, 2027, 6 to 10 p.m. daily except Christmas Day, at Koka Booth Amphitheatre, 8003 Regency Parkway. Tickets are sold by night or session on the festival page.
  • The town’s Heart of the Holidays lineup has also included a Victorian Christmas, a gingerbread house competition, a menorah lighting, a Kwanzaa celebration and holiday movies.

What this means for you

  • Mark Saturday, Dec. 12: Santa in the morning, the parade at 2 p.m.
  • Park in a free deck and walk; East Chatham and South Academy close for the parade.
  • Check back in November for the 2026 tree lighting date.

More: things to do in Cary this month.

Light displays, Santa visits and the menorah lighting: our holiday lights and Christmas events guide.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Cary Christmas parade in 2026?

The 47th annual Cary Jaycees Christmas Parade is 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, 2026, in downtown Cary, ending at the Cary Arts Center.

What is the Cary Christmas parade route?

It starts on East Chatham Street at Ward Street, runs down East Chatham to South Academy Street, turns left onto South Academy and ends at Dry Avenue in front of the Cary Arts Center.

When is the Cary tree lighting?

The 2026 date had not been posted when we checked. In 2025, Downtown Cary Park held a free all-day Tree Lighting Celebration on Saturday, Dec. 6, with the lighting ceremony at 6 p.m.

Where can kids see Santa in Cary?

Santa’s Workshop runs 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, 2026, at the Academy Pavilion and Plaza in Downtown Cary Park, the morning of the parade.