The Dayton Holiday Festival Grande Illumination and Parade will take place on Friday, November 28, 2025! This free community celebration was started back in 1972 by Mrs. Virginia Kettering as a way for all kids in Dayton to celebrate the holiday season regardless of economic means. As planning gets underway for this year’s event, there are several ways for local families and groups to get more involved in the annual holiday tradition.
The Downtown Dayton Partnership is looking for the perfect tree to be the centerpiece of the 2025 Dayton Holiday Festival. The tree will be officially lit for the first time during the Grande Illumination and will remain on the Courthouse Square stage throughout the holiday season. Crews will cut down the selected tree, remove the stump, and transport the tree to Courthouse Square at no cost to the tree owners. See more guidelines for the ideal tree and learn how to nominate a tree here.
Community groups and organizations are invited to apply to be part of the Dayton Holiday Festival Parade. The parade will take place just moments after the Grande Illumination on Friday, November 28. Crowds will watch as decorative seasonal floats, horses, drill teams & bands, costumed characters & walkers and other special holiday treats march through downtown while illuminated by more than 100,000 lights! Interested groups can apply now through September 29 by using this form.
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