Mayor Eddie Morán welcomes all to the Reading Holiday Parade, Berks County’s premier holiday parade, on Penn Street on Saturday, Nov. 18. The parade steps off from 11th and Penn at 10 a.m. and features five area high school marching bands, Hesse’s Hot Jazz band, the New Orleans Style Jazz Band, which recently performed at the 275th Anniversary Parade, floats, dance groups, and 100 area organizations and small businesses. A special thank you to this year’s community sponsors for helping us continue this cherished tradition, where many families and friends will kick off this holiday season by creating memories in Downtown Reading.
Our community sponsors include:
- Alvernia University
- Reading Area Community College (RACC)
- Sweet Street
- Tower Health
Parade spectators can park free in the following locations, thanks to the Reading Parking Authority:
- 4th and Cherry Garage
- 5th and Cherry Surface Lot
- South Penn Garage
The following comprehensive traffic plan is in place to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all attendees:
No Parking Signs will be posted on Friday, Nov. 17, along the following routes:
- 200 t0 1000 blocks of Penn St.
- 000 block S. 2nd St.
- 000 block N. 2nd St.
- 200 block Cherry St.
- 000 block S. 11th St.
- 000 block N. 11th St.
- 1100 block Perkiomen Ave.
- 1000 block Court St. between Mulberry St. and N. 11th St.
Motorists are advised to relocate their vehicles by 6 a.m. on Saturday, as traffic enforcement and towing will commence promptly at 6:30 a.m.
At 7 am, traffic through City Park will be closed to all except parade participants. The following streets will be temporarily closed to traffic:
- Rose Garden Road in City Park
- 1100 block Washington St.
- 1100 block Perkiomen Ave.
- 1000 block Court St. between Mulberry St. and N. 11th St.
- 200 to 1000 blocks of Penn St.
- 11th St. between Cherry St. and Washington St.
- 5th St. between Cherry St. and Court St.
- 200 block Cherry St.
- 000 block S. 2nd St.
- 100 block Franklin St.
For those entering the city via the Penn St. bridge, a detour will be in place, directing vehicles to turn left onto N. 2nd St. and then right onto Court St.
While 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th St. will remain open for north and southbound traffic across Penn St., intersections manned by police officers will facilitate crossings during parade breaks. However, no turns onto Penn St. will be permitted during the event.
Mayor Eddie Morán encourages residents and visitors to join in on the holiday fun and enjoy the festivities this weekend in Downtown Reading.
Here is the lineup for this year’s holiday parade:
- 101 1 Reading Police Motorcycle Escort
- 102 1 Reading Police Honor Guard
- 103 1 Reading High School Marching Band
- 104 1 Mayor Eddie Moran
- 105 1 City of Reading City Council
- 106 1 Youth Commission
- 107 1 Senator Judy Schwank
- 108 1 Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz
- 109 1 Judge Campos
- 110 1 Berks Crime Alert / Berks County Chiefs of Police Association
- 111 1 Reading School District Administration and Board of Directors
- 112 1 Reading School District Social Workers
- 113 1 Reading High School Dance Team
- 114 1 Reading Girls Softball
- 115 1 Reading High School Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps
- 116 1 WFMZ-TV69 Berks Edition
- 117 1 DAILY DOVE CARE, LLC
- 118 1 Wyomissing Area Marching Band
- 119 1 Centre Park Historic District
- 120 1 Carpenter Technology
- 121 1 Reading Women’s Rugby Club
- 122 1 Reading Roller Derby
- 123 1 NAACP Reading Branch
- 124 1 Reading Movies 11 & IMAX
- 125 1 Berks County Subaru Enthusiasts
- 126 1 4 Your Entertainment
- 127 1 Reading Area Water Authority
- 200 2 Reading Area Community College
- 201 2 Berks Ballet Theatre
- 202 2 830 WEEU
- 203 2 Berks County Fair Queen
- 204 2 Affordable Home Care
- 205 2 Reading Recreation Commission
- 206 2 The Lavelle Law Firm
- 207 2 America The Beautiful
- 208 2 Rajah Shrine – Hospital Services Unit
- 209 2 WH Dance Academy
- 210 2 Skyline Drive Corvette Club
- 211 2 Conrad Weiser Marching Scouts
- 212 2 Berks County Junior Grange
- 213 2 Exotic Fish & Pets
- 214 2 Miss Pennsylvania Collegiate USA
- 215 2 Olivet Boys & Girls Club
- 216 2 Olivet Boys & Girls Club
- 217 2 Cafe de Colombia Restaurant & Bakery
- 218 2 Velazquez Family Classic Muscle Cars
- 219 2 United Labor Council of Reading and Berks County
- 220 2 Sisters On A Mission & Mary Alice Temple #108
- 221 2 Amazon
- 222 2 Muhlenberg HS AF JROTC PA-20172
- 223 2 Y102 and Rumba Reading
- 224 2 RAVENS CREW
- 225 2 Troop/Pack 307
- 226 2 Exeter Township Senior High School Marching Band
- 227 2 Chris Lott
- 300 3 Alvernia University
- 301 3 Civil Air Patrol Reading Composite Squadron 811
- 302 3 Girl Scouts of Eastern Pa-Reading and Berks
- 303 3 La Mega
- 304 3 Pageant Winners
- 305 3 Skyline Bicycle
- 306 3 Roxy’s Dance Expressions
- 307 3 Cornerstone Law Firm
- 308 3 Manor at Market Square
- 309 3 Saucony Creek Brewing Company-Franklin Station Brewpub
- 310 3 Berks County Community Foundation
- 311 3 Blue Mountain Region of the Sports Car Club of America
- 312 3 Twin Valley High School Marching Band
- 313 3 Reading Hospital Mobile Mammography Coach Program
- 314 3 United States of America Queens
- 315 3 Reading Royals
- 316 3 Sugar Shack Candy Bar & Ice Cream
- 317 3 LGBT Center of Greater Reading
- 318 3 Reading Pride Celebration
- 319 3 Sarah Jackson Chapter No. 74
- 320 3 Reading Science Center
- 321 3 SeniorLIFE Reading
- 322 3 Us & The Penguin
- 323 3 Patriot Home Care
- 324 3 Munchiez Food Truck LLC
- 325 3 A1 Essential Detailing
- 326 3 Sin Fronteras Jeep Club
- 401 4 Nemesis Fitness
- 402 4 Berks County Toys for Tots
- 403 4 Malicious M.C.
- 404 4 Reading Extreme Boxing
- 405 4 Branches of Dance
- 406 4 NAMI Berks County PA
- 407 4 Temple Community Pharmacy
- 408 4 Que Rico Latin Dance Company
- 409 4 Raam Enterprises Inc.
- 410 4 Hesse’s Hot Jazz
- 411 4 Berks Astronomy
- 412 4 Whisker’s Barber Co & Shave Parlor
- 413 4 Antietam Car Racing
- 414 4 Superheroes For Autism
- 415 4 Savage Auto Group
- 416 4 Savage Auto Group R-Phils Mascot Band
- 417 4 City of Reading Public Works
- 418 4 PagodaFest
- 419 4 Reading Dek Hockey League
- 420 4 Neversink Fire Co #3, and Keystone Fire Co Reading, Pa
- 421 4 City of Reading Fire /EMS Department
- 422 4 Santa
For more information, visit www.readingpa.gov, the City of Reading Facebook event page, or Downtown Reading’s Instagram page.
Dates/times for when the parade will be replayed on BCTV will be announced soon!
