Brooks family, business owners react to 2023 Raleigh Christmas Parade cancellation
Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said there will be no Christmas parade in 2023 in the city. The city of Raleigh said Thursday it would not grant a special event permit application for the 2023 Raleigh Christmas Parade.
"The decision was made out of an abundance of caution for parade participants and spectators, as well as respect for Hailey Brooks’ family and friends," the city wrote in announcing the change.
Brooks, 11, was dancing with the CC & Company Dance Complex in the on Nov. 19, 2022, parade when she was struck and killed by an out-of-control pickup truck that lost its brakes on Hillsborough Street near Boylan Avenue.
This year's parade was scheduled for Nov. 18. It would have been the 79th Christmas parade in the city's history.
On Thursday, the Brooks' attorney, Jason Miller of Raleigh-based Miller Monroe and Plyler, said the family disagrees with the decision to cancel the parade.
"The Brooks family is disappointed that the City of Raleigh chose to cancel its 2023 Raleigh Christmas Parade rather than adopt basic safety measures to protect the community," Miller wrote. "The City did not reach out to the family before making this decision.
"If consulted, the Brooks family would have urged the City to proceed with the Parade after implementing basic, common-sense safety protocols that should have been in place in 2022, such as those proposed in the Shine Like Hailey Parade Safety Act. It has been 10 months since Hailey Brooks was killed, and it is time for the City to honor her by enacting protections for the safety of this community – not by canceling the parade."
The city said its departments are working with partners "on a variety of events and activities that everyone can enjoy."
In the coming weeks, the city plans to share its plans.
"There [are] still a number of wonderful events that are going to be produced to celebrate the holiday season that folks can come downtown to enjoy," Raleigh Assistant City Manager Evan Raleigh said.
Raleigh said the city had not consulted with the Brooks family about the decision.
"We just thought that the risks at this particular point outweighed the other considerations around moving forward," Raleigh said.
Jennifer Martin, executive director of the Greater Raleigh Merchants Association, said the organization is "deeply saddened" by the decision. She pointed out that the city had permitted other parades, including the St. Patrick's Day parade, since Brooks' death.
Martin continued:
"There are thousands of local youth that participate in this annual event and when considering if we should hold a parade in 2023, we knew that we had to continue the event as our youth deserve every opportunity that we can provide for them. We also understand that for many children, the Raleigh Christmas Parade is the only way they will see Santa.
Our association has spent countless hours working to plan a parade that would be like one never seen before, one that would bring the community back together, provide a space for unity, one of healing and one where the community will be provided a safe environment.
The Association stands ready, willing and able to continue this tradition as soon as the City of Raleigh allows it to return."
Baldwin said the decision was a difficult one, and cited pending lawsuits and pending state legislation.
"It was done out of respect for Hailey Brooks', who was tragically killed last year, and her family," Baldwin said.
"With pending lawsuits and state legislation regarding parades, we felt this decision was best for the community. Our goal is to work with partners on events that celebrate the upcoming holidays, and ensure that we have appropriate rules and precautions in place for 2024, when we hope to continue this wonderful Raleigh tradition."
Raleigh said each department that has a role in permitting the city's Christmas parade were consulted in the decision, including the city attorney's office.
"It was very much a decision made across the organization with input from a lot of places," Raleigh said.
The Brooks family has sued the driver of the truck, Landen Glass, and the Greater Raleigh Merchants Association. The city of Raleigh is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
Glass, who was just 20, had a history of traffic violations and had never driven in a parade.
The Brooks family believes there were standards not in place, and they have asked the courts and state legislature for stricter guidelines. Hailey's father, Trey Brooks, asked state lawmakers in April for laws to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
The "Shine Like Hailey" bill also asks for vehicle safety inspections done at least seven days prior to the parade by law enforcement or a local fire department.
That bill passed the House in April, but has yet to pass the Senate.
"If we were to award the contract, but then, the legislation is passed and the criteria isn't met, that could pose [as] a complication," Baldwin said.
Business owners react to 2023 Christmas Parade cancellation
Don Carter owns the building at 333 Fayetteville St. along the parade route.
He said he understands the city's decision, but hopes city leaders understand the economic impacts of their decision.
"It sends a bad signal for downtown Raleigh," Carter said. "Downtown Raleigh needs all the motivation and energy that it can get, and this is another way of energy being taken away from downtown."
"Downtown's been struggling and we need all the momentum we can get," Carter said.
Momentum that comes in handy at local retail shops like Munjo Munjo.
"Every time there's a huge event downtown or even super close to Dix Park, we get a lot of visitors from all over the place not just nearby," Munjo said. "It's always great to have something to draw people into downtown."
Following Brooks' death, Raleigh issued new parade rules for St. Patrick's Day.
- All drivers need to be at least 21
- Minors participating in the parade should have adequate adult supervision
- Passengers in parade vehicles are limited to one adult 18 or older
- All vehicles and trailers must have current and valid registration plates
- All vehicles and trailers must have automobile insurance coverage
- All drivers need to possess a valid license for the type of vehicle they are operating
History of the Raleigh Christmas Parade
The first Raleigh Christmas Parade was held in 1939 as the country was finally rebounding from the Great Depression.
The United States’ involvement in World War II prompted organizers to put the parade on hold for several years, but it returned in grand fashion in 1945, marking the start of a new period of prosperity.
By the 1950s, the parade had become a family tradition for many North Carolina residents.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the city to cancel the Raleigh Christmas Parade. A virtual parade via a livestream on Nov. 21, 2020. It marked the first time the city didn't have an in-person Christmas parade since World War II.
