The Coeur d’Alene Downtown Association is pleased to announce the 31st Annual Lighting Ceremony Parade, presented by Idaho Central Credit Union, on November 24, 2023. Watch as the parade entries light up Sherman Avenue as they bring the Holiday Spirit with the theme “A Coeur d’Alene Holiday Vacation” to Downtown CDA with marching bands, dancing, music, and festive floats!
Then gather on The Coeur d’Alene Resort Lawn for carols and a countdown to a spectacular firework display complements of the Hagadone Corporation. At the end of the show, the switch is flipped and over 1.5 million lights brighten the downtown area!
The parade starts at 5:00 p.m. at 8th & Sherman and travels West on Sherman Ave. to the intersection of Government Way and Northwest Boulevard. The lighting ceremony and fireworks directly follow the parade.
Applications to participate in the 2023 Lighting Ceremony Parade will be accepted through November 13. Interested participants should complete the online registration. Entries will be considered for inclusion and notified via email no later than November 14. Payment for entry must be submitted at the time of application to be considered. If entry is not accepted, payment will be refunded in full.
PARADE THEME
The 2023 parade theme is “A Coeur d'Alene Holiday Vacation." Use your creativity to dress up your group, decorate your vehicle or float, and express your joy for the holidays! "A Coeur d'Alene Holiday Vacation" Examples: Clark Griswold style, Transport (passports, planes, trains, etc.,) Hawaiian Vacation, etc. Over-the-top decor - USE YOUR IMAGINATION!
APPLICATIONS
Due to the limited number of entries allowed, not all applications will be accepted.
You will be notified of the number assigned to your entry after applications close. The DTA reserves the right to position entries in the parade at our discretion or to deny participation if the parade entry guidelines are not met.
All entries must be accompanied by the appropriate parade fee at the time of application.
Want to support one of Coeur d'Alene's largest community events and get your brand in front of thousands of people? The Annual Lighting Ceremony brings thousands of people to the downtown core to experience the magic of the holidays! Check out the Sponsorship Opportunities below!
Lighting Ceremony Sponsorship Opportunities
Contact the Downtown Association via email - info@cdadowntown.com or phone at 208-415-0116 for inquiries.
The Coeur d'Alene Downtown Association is a 501C6 non-profit that was established in 1990 to provide services within the Business Improvement District. The DTA is a downtown management agency that maintains the physical appearance and quality of the downtown corridor, supports small businesses, and hosts monthly events creating a sense of place for the community.
PARADE STAGING
Staging will be arranged in blocks east of 8th Street on Sherman Ave. At 4:30 pm the entire parade route will be closed to through traffic, and ‘No Parking’ will be enforced on the route after this. The parade will begin at the intersection of 8th street and Sherman Avenue and continue west on Sherman Avenue ending at the intersections of Lakeside Avenue and Government Way, just before Northwest Boulevard.
LINE - UP
The Parade Line-up will be released the week of the Lighting Ceremony and will be emailed out to all participating entries.
WHEN: All participants must arrive by their assigned line-up time (between 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm). The parade will begin at 5:00 pm.
WHERE: Beginning at the intersection of 8th St and Sherman Avenue. Each group's line-up position is determined by parade officials. Line-up positions will be emailed to participants before the parade but are subject to change.
Parking along the route will be restricted and enforced. Motorists must remove parked vehicles on Sherman Avenue prior to 3:00 pm November 24th. Parked vehicles that do not wish to remain until the conclusion of the parade, will need to make plans to remove their vehicles from Sherman Avenue before 3:00 p.m. on Friday 24th or face the risk of being ticketed or towed.
The parade route will be closed to vehicular traffic from 4:00 p.m. through the conclusion of the parade.
Sherman Ave will be closed to all eastbound traffic from Northwest Blvd to 8th St. from 4:30 p.m. until the parade units and pedestrian traffic clear the roadway. All entries/exits to Sherman Ave between 1st and 8th will also be closed. No traffic will be allowed to exit Sherman Avenue until all pedestrian traffic clears. Vehicular traffic trying to exit the area should plan to use 4th & 7th Streets upon reopening after the fireworks. Barricades will be stationed along the parade route beginning at 4:00 p.m. to help facilitate traffic flow and begin closing the route.
2023 Parade Route Map COMING SOON
VOLUNTEER:
We could always use an extra set of hands! Join the fun on the other side of the event and have the opportunity to help with traffic control and logistics!
Contact the Downtown Association via email - at info@cdadowntown.com or phone at 208-415-0116 for inquiries.
The Coeur d'Alene Downtown Association is a 501C6 non-profit that was established in 1990 to provide services within the Business Improvement District. The DTA is a downtown management agency that maintains the physical appearance and quality of the downtown corridor, supports small businesses, and hosts monthly events creating a sense of place for the community.
