After 2020’s hiatus, the free Dayton Holiday Festival returns to Courthouse Square
Downtown Dayton will celebrate 49 years of the holiday season during the month-long Dayton Holiday Festival, presented by AES Ohio, which kicks off with the Grande Illumination and Children’s Parade Spectacular in Lights from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 26. Courthouse Square will be the center of the evening full of family entertainment.
“The Grande Illumination and Dayton Children’s Parade Spectacular in Lights is a great night for the family to come downtown,” said Sandy Gudorf, president of the Downtown Dayton Partnership. “The past couple of years have been difficult for all of us, but we are so happy to be able to gather again safely this year to kick off the holiday season together as a community. It will truly be a magical night guaranteed to put you in the holiday spirit.”
Activities planned for the day include the Grande Illumination tree-lighting ceremony, presented by AES Ohio, along with live musical entertainment on the main stage, the Street Fair on Third, fun children’s activities in the Holiday Village on Second Street outside Stratacache Tower, the Junior League of Dayton’s Holiday Adventure, horse-drawn wagon rides, photos with live reindeer, and a gingerbread house display in the Old Courthouse. The suggested cost for wagon rides is $1 per person, but all other activities are free.
The tree-lighting ceremony will take place at 7:55 p.m. on Courthouse Square, followed immediately by the Dayton Children’s Parade Spectacular in Lights, presented by White Allen Chevrolet. Thousands of lights will illuminate the 45-minute parade, featuring a variety of festive floats, entertainers, animals and several surprises.
Extra precautions have been taken for this year’s Dayton Holiday Festival in order to allow in-person gathering in the safest way possible. The vast majority of the festival’s activities will take place outdoors this year. Guests are encouraged to wear masks covering the mouth and nose, and free masks with festive holiday designs also will be available at the festival for attendees to wear.
The DDP’s website has a complete list of downtown’s events, a dining guide, parking map and more at www.downtowndayton.org. Follow the DDP on Facebook to keep up with downtown events and news.
