Raleigh Christmas Parade to be virtual due to COVID-19, Shop Local Raleigh and ABC11 announce
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- ABC11 and Shop Local Raleigh on Thursday announced plans to host the first-ever virtual Raleigh Christmas Parade.
The parade will air on Nov. 21 from 10 a.m. until noon and rebroadcast on Christmas Day.
Viewers will have the additional option to stream the event live at ABC11.com and ABC11's connected TV apps on Amazon FireTV, Android TV, Apple TV, Roku.
Since the parade's inception, local Raleigh merchants have produced the parade as a way to give back to neighbors and the community. While many things have changed due to the pandemic, Shop Local Raleigh and ABC11 are committed to producing a virtual event for the community that will encompass this beloved holiday tradition. Additionally, the parade serves as a reminder to the community to prioritize shopping local and support their local businesses every day and especially during the holidays.
Features for the upcoming two-hour special will include familiar scenes, all uniquely presented virtually, such as special guests, performances and much more - with the promise to have a visit from Santa all the way from the North Pole.
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"The event will be like no other "Raleigh Christmas Parade" we have seen in the event's history," said Jennifer Martin, Executive Director of Shop Local Raleigh. "While this year's parade will not be held live on city streets, we can guarantee that it will still have pageantry, music, special guests, performances and much more. The event will be sure to entertain and help our community create new memories safely, at home."
"The annual Raleigh Christmas parade is such an important way for the community to come together in a longtime tradition, and also to connect with their local small businesses especially during these times," said Rob Elmore, president and general manager of ABC11. "Despite the challenges of this unprecedented time that prevented a physical gathering, we are confident that presenting the parade virtually will help in preserving the tradition and delivering a way for the community to still safely experience it."
