“Creating a magical experience that also strikes a balance between nostalgia and new memories is one of my favorite things about planning the Murfreesboro Christmas Parade each year," shares Rachel Singer, Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation assistant director.
Soon, the city's streets will be lined with children and adults alike, all eagerly awaiting the parade of floats, marching bands and holiday melodies to come. The Murfreesboro Christmas Parade is always held on the second Sunday in December; this year that falls on Dec. 14.Thousands of spectators will be packed along the parade route; many will come early to secure the perfect spots. Homeowners along the route often host “watch parties,” and the storefronts around the square are decorated to perfection.
Much planning and preparation goes into coordinating a special event of this magnitude. It takes teams of people throughout the city who work together with the parks and recreation staff. The planning includes Murfreesboro Police Department officers to help with road closures and safety, City TV staff to offer a live broadcast of the entire parade, the Stones River Radio Club help manage the logistics throughout the parade and each year there are special judges.
However, one of the first items that must be decided months in advance of the actual parade is the theme. The 2025 theme was announced during July, and this year’s theme is “A Sweet Christmas."
Leslie Wright, of the Cultural Arts of Murfreesboro staff, details how the theme was selected this year: “As we reflected, the Christmas season stirs up memories of childhood — sticky fingers from candy canes, the smell of cookies in the oven and that extra bit of kindness we all seem to carry. It’s a time when sweetness isn’t just in the treats, but in the way we treat each other. That’s why this year’s parade theme was an easy choice, because when we remember the Christmases of our past, we can all agree the sweetest memories are the ones that warm our hearts year after year.”
Once the theme is announced, businesses and organizations immediately start gathering ideas. The registration for the parade opens on Oct.1 of each year, and there are many that register that very first day.
“Building a float for the Christmas parade is always a labor of love,” says Roger Goodson, general manager of Consolidated Utility District. “We feel blessed to have a number of employees with hands-on creative skills and knowledge of how to turn a rough sketch into reality. Our team of builders really pour their hearts and souls into crafting something memorable each year.”
Craig Harvey, Cubmaster of Pack 92 and two-time Best of Show Float winner shares, “This is one of the annual events that really brings not just our pack together, but entire families, too. We start thinking about possibilities as soon as the theme is released to the public, then we generally give ourselves about two weeks of construction time to focus on the float. The leadership team works very hard to come up with ideas that are creative and fun to hold the attention of not only the Cub Scouts, but spectators of the parade, as well.”
Whether cold and brisk air, sleet or snow, this year is looking to be one of the best with entries from new local businesses, and of course the returning crowd favorites that seem to just get more creative every year. There will be dance groups, marching bands, the Grinch, a magical snow machine and fire trucks. But the end of the parade is always the same, giving the community a promise of the upcoming holiday season: a beautiful, big red sleigh carrying Santa and a few of his elves wishing Murfreesboro the sweetest Christmas ever.