The 2026 Memphis Holiday Parade rolls down Beale Street at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 12. The downtown tree lighting date is not out yet; here is the 2025 pattern.
Last checked Oct. 23, 2026. This page is updated each year. The 2026 parade date comes from the Beale Street events page; the tree lighting date has not been announced, so the rest of this page describes the 2025 season from the Downtown Memphis Commission’s holiday happenings page and parade listing. We will add the 2026 dates as soon as the organizers publish them.
The 2026 Memphis Holiday Parade rolls down Beale Street at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, according to the Beale Street events page, with marching bands, steppers, twirlers and floats. Downtown’s other big free holiday event, the official Downtown Memphis Holiday Tree Lighting at the corner of Peabody and Main, has no 2026 date yet; in 2025 it was Saturday, Nov. 22, from 4 to 6 p.m. Both are organized downtown; the Downtown Memphis Commission’s offices are at 114 N. Main St. For city services and street questions, call Memphis 311, 901-636-6500.
Who to call and where to look
- Downtown holiday calendar: Downtown Memphis Commission, 114 N. Main St.
- Parade details: Beale Street events
- City services and street closures: Memphis 311, 901-636-6500
- Emergencies: 911
The tree lighting
At the 2025 Official Downtown Memphis Holiday Tree Lighting and Holiday Market at Peabody and Main, the Downtown Memphis Commission offered:
- Free photos with Santa
- Train rides, activities for children, treats and music
- A holiday market for shopping
The tree stays up through the season. In 2025 the commission scheduled Carols on Main in front of the tree on Dec. 6 and Dec. 20, 6 to 7 p.m.
The parade
Updated Oct. 23: the Beale Street events page now lists the 2026 parade for Saturday, Dec. 12, at 11 a.m.
The Memphis Holiday Parade runs down Beale Street with marching bands, steppers, twirlers and floats. The 2026 parade is Saturday, Dec. 12, at 11 a.m., and parade entry applications are open on the same page.
That is earlier in the day than in 2025, when the parade fell on Saturday, Dec. 13, with a Holiday Market on Beale from noon to 4 p.m. Whether a 2026 market runs alongside it has not been published; we will add it when the Downtown Memphis Commission lists it.
More downtown holiday events from 2025
| Event | Where | 2025 dates and times |
|---|---|---|
| South Main Lights | Main Street between G.E. Patterson and Butler avenues | Every night, 4 p.m. to midnight, November 2025 into January 2026 |
| Free pictures with Santa on Beale | Beale Street | Dec. 5 and Dec. 12, 5 to 7 p.m. |
| Carols on Main | Peabody and Main, at the holiday tree | Dec. 6 and Dec. 20, 6 to 7 p.m. |
| Get Merry on Main | South Main Street | Live music, carolers, a golf cart parade, Santa’s Workshop and a tree lighting near 409 S. Main St. |
Getting there
Downtown streets close around the parade route. Check our road construction and closures page the week of the parade, and our getting around guide for parking and transit.
What this means for you
- The parade is set: 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, on Beale Street. Arrive early for a spot.
- Expect the tree lighting the weekend before Thanksgiving if 2026 follows 2025; we will confirm it here.
- Both main events are free and outdoors; dress for a December evening.
- Bring a camera for the free Santa photos.
More holiday events: things to do this month and holiday lights and Christmas events.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Memphis Christmas parade in 2026?
Saturday, Dec. 12, 2026, at 11 a.m. on Beale Street, according to the Beale Street events page. In 2025 the parade was on Saturday, Dec. 13, with a holiday market from noon to 4 p.m.
Where is the Memphis Christmas tree lighting?
The official Downtown Memphis Holiday Tree Lighting is at the corner of Peabody and Main. In 2025 it was Saturday, Nov. 22, from 4 to 6 p.m., with free photos with Santa and a holiday market.
Where can I see Christmas lights in downtown Memphis?
South Main Lights, on Main Street between G.E. Patterson Avenue and Butler Avenue, ran every night from 4 p.m. to midnight from November 2025 into January 2026.
Where can kids get free pictures with Santa in Memphis?
In 2025 Beale Street offered free outdoor pictures with Santa on Dec. 5 and 12 from 5 to 7 p.m., and the downtown tree lighting on Nov. 22 also had free Santa photos.
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