2019 Concord NH Christmas Parade

10/08/2021

Please remember to go to the current Concord Christmas page: 2023 Concord NH Christmas Parade page &, Concords Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration.

09/15/2020

Please like, share, and transfer to the “2023 Concord NH Christmas parade” page on Facebook.

08/25/2020

We are planning to go through with the 2020 Christmas parade, please follow us on the 2020 Concord NH Christmas parade page on Facebook. Thank you.

07/27/2020

Please go to the page 2020 Concord NH Christmas parade. We will be leaving the 2019 page up for reference however we are going to have a survey for community input onto the 2020 page if you would be so kind as to help out. Thank you very much. We will give everybody a few days to like the 2020 Concord NH Christmas parade page prior to the survey question for input.

03/12/2020

We are going to be starting the building of a database of people who are interested in being in the 69th annual parade this year on November 21, 2020. If you are interested please think about sending along contact information so I may put it in the binder and have the information ready to send you when the time comes. I know it’s early, but it takes many months to set up for this. Concord Christmas Parade, c/o 488 N. State Street, Concord NH 03301. 🎅🏼 The page is active, 2020 Concord NH Christmas Parade. I know it’s way early to be thinking about Christmas, however, it takes many many months of preparation to get donations whereas the parade is funded solely by donations. We receive no grants or government money from the city or state. Once the database is built, donation letters and registration information will be sent to the people we have and we will also be cold calling new potential entries for the parade. Thank you very much.

12/10/2019

After settling down a little from the Christmas parade gone by, reading emails, cards, and comments, hearing things like “Over the top”, “The biggest and most impressive parade in years”, “Thousands show up to the Concord Christmas parade”. Planning will start months in advance for the 69th annual Christmas parade, as there is so much unseen to do to get ready for one small window of fun. To see people set aside differences to make this work is all worth the hundreds of hours it takes to make it happen. So in August and September when you start hearing about the 69th annual Concord Christmas parade, think about the one day in November we’re all striving for that which will come to fruition and everybody can enjoy themselves. Yes, we will ask for help, donations, and understanding for closed streets for a couple of hours on one Saturday in November, 2020. Try to recall the 68th annual parade, and expect a bigger and better 69th annual parade put on by two charitable groups who people don’t hear about a lot during the year. The Concord Grange number 322, and the Fraternal Order of Eagles number 613, they are the people behind the parade. They are the people that have to raise all the money to pay the bands, administrative fees, permits, other vendors, hundreds of dollars for banners, awards, Concord Police protection, and other various items that can easily go as high as $7000. These organizations are made up of people from age 18 into their 90s. They do this to give to the community. The parade is just one charitable event given to the people of the city of Concord. These two groups give in so many ways in the educational field, medical field, in city pride, and much more. See you in August and September mentioning Christmas and the 69th annual Concord Christmas parade. Thank you.

11/29/2019

A huge thank you to Don and Starving Artists Movers for packing away the Santa float out of the elements until the next use!

11/28/2019

Now that the parade is gone for this year, I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the Grange and the Eagles to thank everybody who volunteered and who came as a spectator to watch the parade. So many people worked so hard to make sure the parade happened. They welded, they painted, they did paperwork, mailings, went out and got donations (As the parade costs between $5,000 and $7000), directed traffic, put together a security communication system for parade members use and to communicate with the police, judges, DJ, and numerous other unseen things. Without these behind the scenes hours of preparation the parade could never happen. These are the hours people don’t know about or think about. Hundreds of hours of preparation go into the couple of hours of public viewing. The people don’t do it for pay or credit, they do it out of the sense of wanting other people to enjoy themselves and to keep a city tradition going. I personally want to thank these people. I also want to thank the people who donated money and items, as without this, again, the parade would not occur. We have already started preparation for next year’s parade. The Grange and the Eagles are two local entities that donate much in charity throughout the year, most of it unseen or known by few, the parade is one of them and perhaps one of the most visible and difficult. But that does not dissuade the members of those organizations to give to the community. Thank you all very very much, the organizations, the participants, and the spectators.

Brian, 2019 parade director.

11/27/2019

In order to present the best parade possible the Concord parade costs between $5,000-$7,000 to put on. All of this cost is absorbed by the sponsor. The city does not have anything to do with paying for the parade. It is just the opposite, the parade sponsor actually pays for Police Department costs ($2400 +/-) bands ($1000-$2500+/-) licensing, insurance, banners, awards, DJ, and a myriad of administrative costs associated with a parade. The parade sponsor receives larger donations from businesses that is extremely necessary and we are grateful to get those. They do not, however, pay for the whole parade. We do get some in-kind donations such as the review stand wrecker, the flatbed that hauls Santa, the grand marshal vehicle, and some other items instead of monetary donations which are greatly appreciated. A lot of smaller donations must also be collected. I have a question for the people that are watching this page. Should the parade sponsor, in order to help meet costs, charge a $5 or $10 entry fee for all participants (Presidential candidates are currently asked for a larger donation) which would yield about $500-$900, or, would it be more beneficial to have a donation bucket marched throughout the crowd prior to the parade and use that money for paying some costs for the parade, and if any is left, use it to start the following year? I am looking for input as I am interested to know how the community thinks on this topIc. Thank you.

11/27/2019

11/26/2019

11/26/2019

AWARDS/PRESENTATIONS:

Judging is done independently of the parade by two judges from out of town at the line up with all entries present during judging. It has been this way for years to take away any perception of bias by the Grange. That being said, the awards for this year were"

Thank you - Concord Police Department (By the Grange)
Thank you - Concord Fire Department (By the Grange)

By the Judges:

Fire Departments
Newest Fire Apparatus- Canterbury, 2017
Oldest Fire Apparatus - Loudon, 1941
Best Decorated Scheme/Color- Concord
Farthest Traveled - Canterbury

Floats/Entries
Best Overall - Fraternal Order of Eagles #613
Best Decorated - Granite State Off Road
Best Commercial - Granite State Baptist Church
Best Walking - Krickey Elf , Flakey Elf, and Friends
Best Non-Commercial - Pope Memorial SPCA
Best Youth - Easy Riders 4H Club
Best Public Safety- Concord/Epsom Elks Riders
Best Performance - Concord Dance Academy

Thank you Judges