Parade

A parade is a fun and colorful event where people walk in a line down a street. They often wear special costume and may be accompanied by marching bands, decorated vehicles called floats, or big balloons. Parades are usually held to celebrate something special, like a holiday or a community event.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in Manhattan is the world's largest parade.

Parades can happen for many different reasons, and they are a way for people to come together and have fun. In some places, like the Canadian Armed Forces, the word "parade" might also have other meanings, but it still talks about people gathering in a line.

Sometimes, people might use a parade-like activity to show their opinions in a peaceful way, but this is usually called a protest or demonstration instead of a parade. However, the main idea of a parade is to bring people together in a joyful and exciting way.

History

A parade in Sydney to celebrate the Federation of Australia in January 1901

Parades have a long history, dating back to around 2000 BC. They were often held for religious or military purposes. For example, the Babylonians had parades to honor their gods during special events.

One famous parade happened after the American Civil War in 1865. Over 145,000 soldiers marched in Washington, D.C., to celebrate the country's victory. Many important leaders watched the parade.

After World War II, victory parades were held in many places that had been freed from enemy control. These parades celebrated the end of the war and remembered those who had fought bravely.

Parade float

Main article: Float (parade)

A parade float for Brigham Young University in the Freedom Festival Grand Parade in Provo, Utah

A parade float is a decorated vehicle that moves along with a parade. Long ago, the first floats were beautiful boats moved through canals by people walking on shore holding ropes. Sometimes, people inside the boats moved them using oars, but this stopped because the boats were light and could tip over, which caused some people to drown. Later, floats were pulled by horses in ceremonies, remembering those who had drowned. Today, parade floats are usually pulled by cars or have their own engines to move.

Parade grand marshals

Sometimes, a parade will choose special people called grand marshals to lead the event. There can be more than one grand marshal for a parade, and they might not always be able to attend because of different reasons. Other special leaders, like a community grand marshal, might also be chosen to help lead parts of the parade.

Aircraft and boats

Since we have airplanes and ships, they can also have parades. An air parade, called a flypast, is when one or many airplanes fly together. This happens at air shows or to celebrate special days like national holidays. In the United Kingdom, these flypasts often happen during important royal events.

For ships, there can be sailpasts where many tall ships or other sailing vessels move together. This was seen during big celebrations, like the 60th anniversary of World War II.

Longest parade

The longest parade in the world happens at the Hanover Schützenfest in Hanover every year. This parade is 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) long and has more than 12,000 people taking part, including over 100 bands and around 70 floats and carriages.

Another very long parade is the flower parade in the Netherlands. It stretches 42 kilometres and takes 13 hours to go from Noordwijk to Haarlem.

Types of parades

2013 World Championships in Athletics Parade of Nations at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia

Parades come in many fun forms! You can see parades on boats during special winter events like Boat Parade (Winterfest). There are colorful Carnival parades, lively Circus parades, and bright Flower parade events. Some parades feature exciting Military parade displays, while others might include a Santa Claus parade to get you ready for the holidays. Other types include Halloween parade, Pride parade, and Victory parade, each celebrating different joyful occasions.

Examples of annual event parades

Yonkers High School, New York students preparing for the Yonkers St. Patrick's Day Parade

Parades are fun celebrations that happen every year in many places around the world. They often include people in costumes, marching bands, and colorful floats. Some famous parades include the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City and the Rose Parade in the United States. Other notable events are the Bastille Day Military Parade in Paris, France, and the Notting Hill Carnival in London.