Santa Claus arrives in Downtown Holland tomorrow night during the annual Parade of Lights, sponsored by Gentex Corporation! Beginning at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, December 2, Santa Claus will be escorted down 8th Street by over 80 floats, commercial vehicles, walkers, marching bands, and more...all decked out from top to bottom in thousands of sparkling lights! Join us tomorrow night and see why this brightly lit holiday procession is a popular holiday tradition for the entire community!
The Parade of Lights will begin at the corner of 8th Street and Columbia Avenue at 6:30 pm sharp and proceed west down 8th Street until it reaches the Holland Civic Center Place at 150 West 8th Street. Be sure to look for the exclusive parade sponsor Gentex as they lead the parade with a special treat for all of the children in attendance. (Though please note that there will be no other candy handed out during the parade.)
For the safety of parade attendees and for parade preparations, 8th Street will be closed for both parking and traffic by order of the Holland Police Department beginning at 2:00 pm on December 2. Vehicles parked on 8th Street after 2:00 pm tomorrow will be subject to towing. With 8th Street closed, free public parking for the Parade of Lights can be found in the surface parking lots on 7th and 9th Streets, in the 7th and 9th Street Parking Decks, and at the Holland Civic Center Place.
The 2025 Downtown Holland Parade of Lights line-up includes: the following businesses and organizations:
Holland Police Department
VIPS
Parade of Lights Banner
Gentex
City of Holland
Holland High School Marching Band
Girl Scouts of Holland
Trinity Reformed Church
West Ottawa Elementary Dance Teams
Advantage Landscape and Turf Management
Ottawa Animal Hospital
Overisel Lumber
Lakeshore Toys for Tots
Velo Kids
Secure Storage
Family Church
Out On The Lakeshore
Holland Running Club
CMA Crossroad Riders
BAM!
Corpus Christi Catholic School
Hope College
Buckman MacDonald & Brown PC
Greenridge Realty
Barber Ford of Holland
Washington School Neighbors
Holland Playland
Big Lake Brewing
Evergreen Commons
Corewell Health
The Avalune Group
Luke Bouman Team @HomeRealty
EV Construction
WHTC & 92.7 The Van Radio
Renew Therapeutic Riding Center
BVW Property Management
BVW Unsalted Vacations
MediLodge of Holland
Foundry Church
Papa Romanos
Culture Cheese Shop
Lakewood Construction
Always Outdoors Exterior Services LLC
Dolce Mini Cakes
Lakeshore Habitat for Humanity
Michigan Homes & Cottages Real Estate
WOOD TV8
Resthaven
Meijer Great Lakes Limited Partnership
Coldwell Banker Woodland Schmidt
Scrapyard Climbing Collective
Holland Insulation
MillerKnoll
Ottawa County Fair
E&B Fleet Repair
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
Postcards from Paradise
Pro-Low Moving
REMAX Lakeshore
Vander Meulen Builders
West Michigan Community Bank
Hoekstra Electric
Boat Lifts Unlimited
Holland BPW
Lindsey Eppink - Five Star Real Estate Leaders
Holland Museum and Miss Great Lakes
Holland Cakery
Great Lakes Fitness Co.
The Salvation Army
Quality Car Wash
3sixty
SoundOff Signal
Tulip Time
Hitch & Go Rental
Jonkers
Two Men and a Truck
Tim's Towing
AK Concrete Staining
Merle Boes, Inc
HES Equipment
Macatawa Area Express
West Ottawa High School Band
Gentex and Santa
Holland Fire Department
In addition to the Parade of Lights, Downtown Holland will be hosting a number of family friendly special events and shopping promotions throughout December! Be sure to mark your calendars for these exciting holiday events all holiday season long!
Upcoming 2025 Downtown Holland Holiday Events
Holiday Coloring Contest
Friday, November 28 – Tuesday, December 23
Looking for a fun snowy day activity to pass the time this winter? Stay warm and cozy inside and enter the 2025 Downtown Holland Holiday Coloring Contest, sponsored by Peachwave Frozen Yogurt and Gelato! Children ages 1-12 can color a custom holiday drawing by local artist Carolyn Stich for a chance to win a $25 gift card to Peachwave! One winner will be selected in each age category. Pick up a coloring contest sheet from Peachwave or download and print a copy from the Downtown Holland website beginning Friday, November 28. Completed entries must be dropped off at Peachwave (6 West 8th Street) by 8:00 pm on Tuesday, December 23.
Strolling Santa
Saturdays, December 6, 13 & 20
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Even Santa Claus knows that Downtown Holland is the place to go to shop local for all of your holiday gifts this year! The word from the North Pole is that you can find Santa strolling throughout Downtown Holland every Saturday afternoon in December leading up to Christmas. Santa will be stopping by his favorite Downtown Holland shops and restaurants from 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm each Saturday to greet his fans...young and old alike! If you spot him, be sure to say hello, snap a photo, and share it with us!
Shopping Jam
Saturday, December 13
8:00 am – 11:00 am
The early bird gets the...deals at the annual Downtown Holland Shopping Jam! Set your alarm clocks and grab a cup of hot coffee because the early morning Shopping Jam is one holiday savings event you won't want to miss! During the Shopping Jam on Saturday, December 13, participating retailers will open their doors early, offering 30% off at least one item from 8:00 am - 9:00 am, 25% off at least one item from 9:00 am - 10:00 am, and 20% off at least one item from 10:00 am - 11:00 am! The earlier you shop, the more you save! Whether you need one more gift to finish off your nice list or you're shopping for something special for yourself, this is one sale you won't want to miss. It’s the perfect opportunity to “wrap up” your holiday shopping while enjoying amazing discounts! Please note that discount details vary, so please see participating businesses for specific savings details.
Holland Farmers Market
Wednesdays and Saturdays
9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Visit the Holland Farmers Market all November and December long to shop for fresh produce, meat, eggs, honey, maple syrup, jam, baked goods, specialty foods and more! And pick up everything you need to decorate your home with fresh greenery, porch pots, and festive wreaths from our local vendors. Make the Market your destination for all things Michigan-grown this holiday season! The Market is open every Wednesday and Saturday in November from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm and on Saturdays in December through December 21. On select Saturdays in November and December, the Market will be joined by the Holland Area Friends of Art’s Kerstmarkt, a European style outdoor Market where local artisans offer unique gifts, holiday décor, home baked goods, and more.
Other holiday happenings in Downtown Holland this upcoming season include Tulip Time’s first ever Dutch Winterfest, Magic at the Mill at Windmill Island Gardens, the Holland Kerstmarkt, and a variety of holiday concerts and special performances. For more details on these holiday events and more, visit www.downtownholland.com, follow Downtown Holland on Facebook and Instagram, or call 616.796.1210.
