Last week, The McAllen Holiday Parade, presented by H-E-B and powered by Bert Ogden & Fiesta Dealerships, parade organizers hit the beach and unveiled new and exciting features of the international-award winning Christmas event, including revealing this year’s theme and announcing South Padre Island Convention & Visitors’ Bureau as a sponsor of the parade.

 

“This year’s theme is ‘Rockin’ Around the South Pole’ and represents McAllen’s love of music and movement, which has inspired us to celebrate this year’s festivities with a theme that unites tradition, fun, and the holiday spirit,” said McAllen City Manager Roel “Roy” Rodriguez., P.E. “This December 4, holiday magic is going to rock McAllen when Santa returns to his winter home away from home in the Official South Pole of Texas.”

Highlighting the theme will be this year’s opening musical extravaganza which will have a rockin’ new spin on holiday classics while the Vuelta, McAllen’s giant balloon twirling tradition, returns.

Also joining this year’s McAllen Holiday Parade is South Padre Island CVB, who plan to join the holiday fun and extend the wonderful, warm Christmas spirit of McAllen, the Official South Pole of Texas on the Island and beyond, creating a meaningful experience for parade and beachgoers alike.

“We welcome our McAllen partners to the Island as we start a growing partnership with one of our Rio Grande Valley cities. Our city partners are the airlift gateway to our beautiful island and assist us in bringing people to our Isla from around the world," said Ed Caum, Executive Director for the City of South Padre Island CVB. “We have also been the Valley’s vacation spot for generations and look forward to reaching more potential visitors through a growing partnership like this one across our region."

To enhance the SPI Experience, a portion of the 1.5-mile parade route will be dedicated as the SPI Vuelta Zone, a high energy broadcast and celebration zone along the parade route that will feature the famed Vuelta. The McAllen Holiday Parade is the only place in the world where giant helium balloons are twirled along the parade route to the “Vuelta!” chants of parade goers. The SPI Vuelta Zone will be modeled after the famed New York Countdown Ball Drop stage and will feature a celebrity host, full SPI branding interactive activities and an electric crowd experience. McAllen Holiday Parade goers will see supersized SPI Vuelta Zone street signs, gigantic digital screens, and a DJ to pump up the crowd before and in between floats.

The cost for the 1,000-seat section is $10, and every attendee will receive an SPI Vuelta Zone t-shirt and noise makers. Tickets can be purchased at all three City of McAllen community centers – Lark at 2601 Lark Ave.; Las Palmas at 1921 N. 25th St.; and Palmview at 3401 Jordan Rd. W. Tickets can also be purchased at the McAllen Parks & Recreation Headquarters, located at 100 S. Ware Rd. For more information, call (956) 681-3333.

There are lots of ways to watch the McAllen Holiday Parade including other parade route seating along Bicentennial Blvd. Parade route chair tickets are available for purchase at any one of the McAllen community centers, also for only $10. These seats are so popular that selling them as a fundraiser is an opportunity that is available once again only to non-profit or other community organizations. Groups interested in participating in this fundraiser activity can contact Lark Community Center for more details and to sign up.

The parade will step off at 6 p.m. on Saturday, December 4, 2021 from the McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium, 2001 N. Bicentennial Blvd. and anyone wanting to watch the U.S. Air Force in stadium can buy VIP Stadium tickets for the parade at www.ticketmaster.com or at the McAllen Convention Center Box Office. Ticket prices start at $10, plus service fees. Celebrities Mario Lopez and Julian Gil will serve as co-hosts for the parade.

Parade organizers are also still looking for volunteers to be a part of the parade. Balloon handler volunteers must be 18 years or over, while banner carriers must be 16 years or over. All volunteers must go through a background check and will receive gloves, t-shirt and snacks. All volunteers are required to have a volunteer badge at the scheduled event. Learn more at www.volunteersotx.org or send questions or to sign up at pardvolunteers@mcallen.net.

The McAllen Holiday Parade, presented by H-E-B, is the largest illuminated holiday and helium balloon parade in Texas and uses 15 miles of rope light, which generates 1,875,000 lumens of light to properly illuminate the parade and 44,500 cubic feet of helium to keep those giant balloons afloat and is powered by 12,000 horsepower by over 50 trucks from Bert Ogden & Fiesta Dealerships.