Thousands attend downtown Kalamazoo holiday parade
Thousands attend downtown Kalamazoo holiday parade
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — On Nov. 22, visitors to downtown Kalamazoo can attend the annual Maple Hill Holiday Parade, a community event with over 100 participating community organizations, businesses and student groups — organized by the Maple Hill Auto Group.
“We have more sponsors this year and more units this year than ever,” Abby VandenBerg, an event organizer for the Maple Hill Holiday Parade, said. “We’re really excited for the community involvement.”
The Maple Hill Holiday Parade begins at 11 a.m. and will wrap around the South Kalamazoo Mall, continue along East Michigan Avenue and South Pitcher Street and end at Portage Street and East Lovell Street.
The Maple Hill Holiday Parade in downtown Kalamazoo. (Courtesy Maple Hill Holiday Parade)
The Maple Hill Holiday Parade in downtown Kalamazoo. (Courtesy Maple Hill Holiday Parade)
Across the entire downtown Kalamazoo area, VandenBerg expects a big crowd.
“We’ve had between 25,000 to 30,000, and we’ll probably be expecting around the same,” VandenBerg said. “The weather looks absolutely wonderful.”
After the parade ends, visitors are invited to enjoy a variety of family-friendly activities during an after-parade celebration along the Kalamazoo Mall until 3 p.m.
“The after-parade activities were started when Maple Hill (Auto Group) took over,” VandenBerg said. “We really wanted to include the downtown merchants.”
In addition to the parade and afternoon activities, the Maple Hill Holiday Parade is a community fundraiser for Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, a local food assistance provider.
“Any profits from the parade goes to Loaves & Fishes,” VandenBerg said. “We’ll be collecting in-person monetary donations … and Maple Hill will match donations made the day of the parade.”
The Maple Hill Holiday Parade in downtown Kalamazoo. (Courtesy Maple Hill Holiday Parade)
The Maple Hill Holiday Parade in downtown Kalamazoo. (Courtesy Maple Hill Holiday Parade)
After-parade activities at the Kalamazoo Mall include free photos with Santa Claus, an Elf on the Shelf scavenger hunt, free popcorn giveaways and more.
“We try to make this a free, family-focused event to kick off the holiday season,” VandenBerg said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
