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Raleigh Christmas Parade canceled, goes virtual instead

For the first time since World War II, the Raleigh Christmas Parade will not roll through the streets of downtown Raleigh.

Posted 2020-07-30T14:26:39+00:00 - Updated 2020-07-30T21:20:42+00:00

The 2017 Raleigh Christmas Parade presented by Shop Local Raleigh. (John West/WRAL Contributor)

Kathy Hanrahan, Out

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For the first time since World War II, the Raleigh Christmas Parade will not roll through the streets of downtown Raleigh.

The parade has been held every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving since 1944. This year, Shop Local Raleigh announced that the parade has been canceled due to coronavirus concerns and will instead be held virtually via a live stream on Nov. 21.

Bill Leslie: The 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. It was put on hold due to World War II and returned in 1944.