"Unlike previous years, the parade will conclude at Holy Rosary Church rather than the Rochester Common." That's one line in the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce's October 27 announcement for this year's "Christmas in Whoville" Holiday Parade, and it changes more than the last stop.
The parade steps off Sunday, December 6, at 4 p.m., about three and a half weeks from now. Cambridge Savings Bank is underwriting it. Floats, kids and band buses now all end up in a church parking lot on North Main Street, and the Chamber's own notes say plainly that it wants the word out so spectators land "in the correct spots." If your family has a curb you claim every December, check it against the new map first.
The Last Leg Moved to North Main
The first half of the route hasn't changed. The changes come at Central Square.
| 2023 to 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Triangle at Spaulding High School on Wakefield Street | Triangle by the R.W. Creteau Regional Technology Center at Spaulding High School |
| First leg | South on Wakefield Street | South on Wakefield Street |
| Middle | Right onto Union Street, left onto North Main Street | Turn at Central Square onto North Main Street |
| Final leg | Continues to South Main Street | Continues on North Main Street |
| Disbands | In front of the Rochester Common | Parking lot behind Holy Rosary Church, 189 N Main St. |
The 2025 "Christmas in Candyland" parade went right onto Union Street, left onto North Main, carried on to South Main and broke up in front of the Common. The Chamber's 2024 and 2023 notices list the same streets and the same Common finish.
This year the Union Street jog and the South Main stretch are gone. After Wakefield Street, the parade takes the turn at Central Square and runs up North Main to Holy Rosary. That turn is tight enough that the Chamber's FAQ tells float builders to test their length on it ahead of time by driving the turn at the Parson Main statue with the normal flow of traffic.
Where to Stand Now
The Chamber's 2026 parade FAQ names three viewing areas: "Anywhere along Wakefield Street, Central Square, and North Main Street to Holy Rosary Church offers great views." South Main Street and the Common aren't on that list, because the parade doesn't get there anymore.
The new route gives you a few practical choices:
- Wakefield Street gets the parade first, since that leg is unchanged. It's the best choice if you want to see the floats early and still have time to walk somewhere afterward.
- Central Square is where the parade turns. Every entry slows down to make the corner at the Parson Main statue.
- North Main Street toward Holy Rosary is the new home stretch. Anyone meeting a child who marched in the parade should stand somewhere along here, because the meetup point is at the end.
Wherever you stand, the Chamber asks everyone to stay on the sidewalk, out of the road, and to keep a close eye on children. The full parade usually takes about an hour, depending on the number of entries. With a 4 p.m. start in early December, the last floats will reach Holy Rosary in the dark, so pack a flashlight for the walk back to the car.
The Family Meetup Moved With the Finish
For families with a scout, a dancer or a band member in the lineup, this is the change that counts. The FAQ calls it "a new pickup area in 2026." Parents meet their children at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, 189 N Main St., where the parade breaks up. The Chamber says parking will be available there, with volunteers directing traffic at the entrance and exit.
That lot will be busy. Marching band buses park in the rear corner of the rear lot. The parade rules send horse trailers to Holy Rosary's rear lot before the parade starts. If you're picking someone up, settle on a meeting spot near the church ahead of time. Trying to find each other at dusk while buses and trailers move through the lot is a hard way to end the day.
The start works the same way it always has. A drop-off lane runs near the Spaulding High School entrance, there's no parking in the assembly area, and floats come in from Chestnut Hill Road to line up behind Spaulding and the Creteau center.
The Clock That Afternoon
Times come from the Chamber's FAQ and parade rules:
- 12:30 p.m. Float, equestrian, color guard and marching units can start arriving. They must check in by 2 p.m.
- 2:00 p.m. Mobile units arrive.
- 2:30 p.m. Float judging begins. Plaques go to Best of Parade, second place and third place.
- 3:00 p.m. All participants must be present.
- 3:30 to 3:45 p.m. Parade roads close.
- 4:00 p.m. The parade starts.
Plan to be parked and walking before the roads close. Outside of parade day, Rochester Main Street says downtown's municipal lots are generally free and lists lots at City Hall, the library, 60 Wakefield Street and Union Street.
If the weather turns, the Chamber will announce any cancellation on local radio stations by 11 a.m. and will also post updates on its website and social media. The parade rules set the rain date for the following evening, Monday, December 7, at 6 p.m. This has happened before. The 2023 parade was moved from Sunday to Monday because of weather.
North Main Is Where the Food Is
The new route has an upside. The parade now ends on the same street as several of downtown's places to eat, and some of them are new this year. Here's what's on North Main:
- The Scenic Lounge, 10 North Main Street
- Busy Bee Cafe, 22 North Main Street
- My Thai Bistros, 44 North Main Street
- Hong Asian Noodle Bar, 50 North Main Street, which celebrated its grand opening with the Chamber in June
- Revolution Taproom & Grill, 61 North Main Street
- Pho Zaap, 101 North Main Street, which held its ribbon cutting in May
In October, Foster's Daily Democrat reported that Poe Bean Cafe planned to open at 91 North Main Street in December. Check hours before you go. A busy Sunday dinner rush right after the parade is the kind of crowd that fills small dining rooms fast.
The Parade Ends a Four-Day Run Downtown
December 6 is the last of four straight days of downtown holiday events, and most of them sit on or near the parade route.
Thursday, December 3. Rochester Main Street's 11th annual Festival of Trees opens at Studley's Flower Gardens with Treeview, a ticketed first look from 5:30 to 8 p.m. that includes appetizers, 25 tree raffle tickets and first crack at the silent auction. The same night, the Rochester Opera House at 31 Wakefield Street presents The Nutcracker.
Friday, December 4. The Chamber's Tree Lighting Celebration starts at 5:30 p.m. downtown. It includes caroling, cookie decorating, dance performances, Santa, hot cocoa and a reading of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, with Breezeline as underwriter. The Chamber's special events page lists Central Square as the tree lighting's home, the same corner the parade turns two days later. Festival of Trees opens to the community that evening from 6 to 8 p.m., with holiday music and a vendor market of local artisans.
Saturday, December 5. Festival of Trees runs from 1 to 6 p.m., with live music and Santa on site from 1 to 4 p.m. for visits and photos.
Sunday, December 6. The parade starts at 4 p.m. The Opera House also lists Dueling Pianos at RPAC that day, at 32 North Main Street, right on the new final leg.
The week before is busy too. Rochester Main Street lists Shop Small Saturday with Santa downtown all day on November 28. Captain Jack & The Strangers plays the Opera House that night. Running before and after parade weekend, Elf Off The Shelf is downtown December 1 through 19 and ends with Santa in Central Square on December 19 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Opera House's new A Christmas Carol runs December 11 to 23.
If your business or group wants to march, parade entries are open through the end of November on the Chamber's parade page. For more on the city's fall calendar, see our look at how Rochester handled the Granite State Fair's two-weekend split, or our Rochester neighborhood page.
I'm always glad to talk with neighbors about downtown Rochester, from Wakefield Street to the blocks around Holy Rosary. Whether you're watching from Central Square this year or thinking about living within walking distance of the route, Jeanette Bandouveres is happy to help you plan your next move. Let's Connect.
