Welcome to the Maple Hill Holiday Parade!

As the official kick-off to the holiday season, The Maple Hill Holiday Parade is a grassroots, community celebration designed to connect our nonprofit organizations, businesses, and associations with the general public, to the official kick-off to the holiday season in Downtown Kalamazoo! This year's parade is set to take place on Saturday, November 22, 2025 with step off at 10:45 a.m. and check-in beginning at 9 a.m.

In order to ensure that everyone's experience is full of fun, holiday cheer, and community pride, a member of the Parade Team will maintain communication with your contact person throughout the application and parade planning processes. Throughout the process, please feel free to reach out and ask questions - every question is a good one.

The entry fee is $100 for "for-profits" and $75 for "non-profits" and helps to cover logistical costs. Marching bands are exempt from payment and reasonable transportation fees associated with participation can be submitted for reimbursement consideration. Once your application has been approved, an invoice will be sent to you for payment either by check or credit card. Credit card payments can be made over the phone (269-388-2830) with a 3% processing fee. Checks are made payable to KELC Events and submitted to:
Maple Hill Holiday Parade
1417 S. Burdick Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49001

Please take the time to fill out the below application in its entirety if you are interested in participating in the 2025 Maple Hill Holiday Parade. There is a lot of information needed from each unit in order to make the parade run smoothly and to ensure that the parade is made special for all who come to see and experience the holiday cheer. If you have any questions during the application, please call 269-388-2830. It might be helpful to use the paper application to understand the questions that need to be answered to appropriately place your unit in the parade.

For complete parade guidelines, please go to our website (www.kalamazooholidayparade.org) and review the 2025 KHP Parade Application. The official parade application also includes more specific information on guidelines, participation expectations, the parade route and day-of operations.

The application deadline is November 3, 2025. Space is limited to the first 100 units to submit entries and is based on the design/theme quality of the unit. Applications submitted after this date will be considered on a space availability status.

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* 1. Maple Hill Holiday Parade Application
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN JOINING THE PARADE!!!

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* 2. If you have participated in the past, please list your previous years participation.

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* 3. Parade Unit Connection To Holiday Theme

Please describe below the holiday significance of your unit (units must be visibly pleasing and incorporate a unique Holiday theme). Units that are not decorated and/or themed will not be allowed entry. Parade units should incorporate some type of entertainment value- music, a theme, animation, or appropriate visual appeal. The parade is themed from beginning to end with the best units spread throughout the ENTIRE parade. Units must develop and execute a holiday theme, have participants to dress in holiday attire or costumes complementing their theme, and professionally represent their organization or business.

Political units: holiday attire is required, only one banner can be carried in support of the candidate (political signs are not allowed), and political units are required to host a fully decorated holiday themed unit. Political solicitation materials cannot be distributed.

Parade units should include signage promoting their unit. Remember, this is your opportunity to celebrate community, holiday spirit through intentional decorations, and the theme-value of the unit. People attending what to see a well-decorated parade unit that is entertaining.

Note: The only Santa in the parade is sponsored by Maple Hill Auto Group. For the enjoyment of our children, there cannot be another Santa featured in ANY unit.

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