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\nPhoto: Rotary Clubs of Plano <\/p>\n
This year\u2019s Yee Haw Holiday parade is set for Dec. 13<\/p>\n
For more than sixty years, Plano\u2019s holiday season has kicked off with the sound of marching bands, the roll of handmade floats and generations of families lining the streets together. This year, that legacy continues as the Rotary Clubs of Plano bring the city\u2019s historic holiday parade back to downtown with a Yee Haw Holiday twist.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Think tinsel-lined cowboy hats, candy-cane-filled boots and cacti draped in twinkle lights. It\u2019s a fresh spin on one of Plano\u2019s oldest traditions.<\/p>\n
The parade trots into downtown Plano on Dec. 13 at 2 p.m., inviting neighbors, local groups and performers to celebrate a piece of the city\u2019s past that\u2019s still very much alive.<\/p>\n
A Tradition With Real Roots<\/p>\n
Plano\u2019s holiday parade history stretches back to 1963, when the first procession made its way through a much smaller downtown. Over the decades, the event shifted locations, paused, restarted and adapted to a changing \u2014 and growing \u2014 city.<\/p>\n
Jennifer Shertzer, public relations chair for the parade, told Local Profile that the event has had a winding journey. \u201cThe very first one was in 1963, and then it\u2019s kind of stopped and started throughout the years,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After COVID, when the Lions Club stepped away from hosting, the city turned to its five Rotary Clubs to steer the event forward. \u201cIt\u2019s all volunteers that do it,\u201d Shertzer said. \u201cWe do have two co-chairs that are kind of experienced at organizing stuff like this, project managers.\u201d<\/p>\n
The parade officially returned in 2022, although its comeback was dampened by rain. Still, bringing the event back to its original downtown route has been meaningful for longtime residents. \u201cWe do have people who work in downtown that have told me, they\u2019ve been going to this parade since I was a kid,\u201d she said. For many, it remains a beloved thread connecting Plano\u2019s past and present.<\/p>\n
A Parade That Gives Back<\/p>\n
Beyond the floats and fanfare, the Rotary Clubs also treat the parade as a way to support the community financially. Shertzer said the event isn\u2019t designed to generate profit. \u201cWe\u2019re a non-profit. We don\u2019t want to make any money,\u201d she explained. Once expenses are settled, the committee donates the remaining funds to local organizations.<\/p>\n
It’s a meaningful cycle: local businesses help fund the parade, and in turn, that support flows right back into the community.<\/p>\n
\nPhoto: Rotary Clubs of Plano
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Floats, Bands,\u00a0And One Surprising Shopping Spree<\/p>\n
Local businesses, schools and community organizations will once again fill downtown with a colorful lineup of floats, walking groups, performers and marching bands. The Plano Senior High Band, a fixture since the earliest parades, continues its tradition. \u201cThey\u2019re in it every single year,\u201d Shertzer said.<\/p>\n
This year comes with a twist: JCPenney is sending a group of about 30 associates to hand out coupons along the route \u2014 and one of those coupons carries a hidden $500 shopping spree. \u201cWe really want to get the word out about that,\u201d Shertzer said, hoping the prize finds its way to someone who truly needs it.<\/p>\n
Honoring Local Excellence<\/p>\n
The parade once again celebrates Plano ISD\u2019s teachers of the year as grand marshals, highlighting the educators who help shape the community. A special guest of honor, a Plano teen recently named Time Magazine\u2019s Kid of the Year, Tejasvi Manoj<\/a>, will also be featured as a \u201clocal celebrity.\u201d<\/p>\n Scout troops, student groups and possibly even some street performers and jugglers will add extra energy to this year\u2019s event, blending nostalgia with new touches.<\/p>\n Where The Spurs Meet The Sparkle<\/p>\n The Rotary Clubs of Plano Holiday Parade remains one of the city\u2019s longest-running traditions, a celebration that has grown alongside Plano itself. With its Yee Haw Holiday theme and a renewed focus on downtown roots, this year\u2019s event promises a joyful blend of history, creativity and community spirit.<\/p>\n On Dec. 13, Plano once again gathers to honor its past, celebrate its present and cheer on a tradition that keeps on riding.<\/p>\n To learn more about how to join the parade, become a sponsor or even just attend, visit the link here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n