Christmas Parade | Blue Plum Organization

Johnson City Christmas Parade

Powered by the Blue Plum Organization

Downtown Johnson City, Tennessee
December 6, 2025, at 10:30 a.m.

Join the parade

2025 parade applications open Oct. 1 and close Nov. 24.

Rules

Volunteer

Awards given to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place overall winners and the Blue Plum Pick (chosen by our board)

Parade route

Staging at ETSU Lot#9 on the corner of University Parkway & State of Franklin. The parade will travel left onto University Parkway, turn right onto W. State of Franklin, left onto Buffalo Street, right onto E. Main Street, right onto Colonial Way, left onto E. State of Franklin, ending in the Old Burley Lot at the corner of E. State of Franklin and Legion Street. All entries must stay towards the middle of the parade route roads for the safety of spectators.

Staging & participant drop-off

Staging for parade is in the ETSU Student Parking Lot #9 beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Corner of University Parkway & State of Franklin and W. Walnut St. & Gilbreath). The parade will begin at 10:30 a.m.

If you are dropping off participants, please park in the lot off of West Maple St. on the campus of ETSU. Please turn off of University Parkway onto W. Maple St.- THIS IS A ONE WAY STREET.

Marching band members will line up in the lot between W. Walnut and Lynn St., behind the Roadrunner gas station. All those walking or riding on floats will stage in the parking lot on the corner of W. State of Franklin and University Parkway, across from McDonald's.

Line-up placement information will be emailed to participants by Monday, Dec. 1, 2025.

Participant pick up & float tear-down

If you are picking-up participants, please park in the City Hall parking lot off East Main St. Participants will be dropped off in the old Burley lot on the corner of E. State of Franklin and Legion St. Anyone wanting to tear-down their floats will be asked to make their way to the parking lot by Johnson City Doughboys baseball stadium.

Rules

Rules & Application

Please communicate rules to all members of your parade entry!

Parade rules and information are designed to remind participants that sometimes even the most innocent actions can provoke significant problems in a crowded area. The rules are in place to ensure that we have an orderly, safe and joyful parade.

Entry fee of $95 for For-Profit OR $45 for Non-Profit organizations must be paid online with registration for the parade. Approved marching bands will not pay a fee but do need to register. Parade waiver information is included with payment.
Each vehicle/float per entry will be assessed an entry fee. This includes anyone wanting to register multiple floats.
Floats/vehicles must depict different, fun and/or unique decorating ideas in line with the parade theme. This year’s theme is "Mountain Rails and Christmas Tales." FLOATS MUST BE DECORATED ACCORDING TO THE THEME. Floats with purely commercial advertisements and/or branding will NOT be permitted. Your float must be decorated to the parade’s theme (i.e. you cannot enter a car that just says, “Joe’s Business.” Exceptions include classic cards, municipal vehicles and pageant queen cars.
No farm animals are allowed; this includes horses.
Marching bands, cheer groups, dance teams, etc. must remain moving along the parade route at all times. You may not stop to perform maneuvers.
Any distribution of candy or other items must be handed out. Candy may not be thrown from floats or vehicles.
PLEASE NO SANTA! Santa has already been contacted, and he will be at the end of the parade. We do not want to confuse the children.
Floats must be under 13 ft. 6 in. in height and under 48 feet in length.
Floats/vehicles and participants may not use any flammable and/or explosive devices and/or materials whatsoever.
No individual political candidate floats.
No motorcycles are allowed.
For organizations entering multiple floats, your ticket quantity must match how many floats/vehicles you are bringing.
Absolutely NO taunting, harmful, inappropriate or inflammatory language or music will be tolerated.
NO REFUNDS WILL BE GIVEN IN THE EVENT OF WEATHER OR ANY CANCELLATIONS/NO SHOWS ON THE PART OF YOUR ORGANIZATION.