Another Thanksgiving is about to be in the books, and as always, the 43rd Annual Ford Holiday River Parade follows to usher San Antonio into the Christmas spirit. The theme for 2024 is Toy Box Adventures, bringing joy and playfulness.
According to the parade's website, the November 29 parade will feature 27 illuminated floats and 5 entertainment floats. As a longer term installation until the first weekend in January, there will also be more than 100,000 holiday lights.
A parade program including float previews, a full event schedule, and a guide to other holiday events in San Antonio is available here.
Here are some logistics everyone should know before heading to the parade.
Start time and place
The event kicks off at 6 pm at the Tobin Center. Folks who miss it can tune into a live broadcast starting at 7:05 pm, and they can watch it happen in person at the Arneson River Theatre.
Where to watch
There is seating available around the parade route, but first consider the free viewing area, where viewers will have to bring their own chairs. That's on the east side of the River Walk between Pecan Street and Richmond Ave. If visitors don't mind paying for a ticket (for anyone at least 2 years old), those are available in three tiers:
- Standing general admission tickets are $16.50 (this is the price from the ticket selector, which differs from the main overview). This is Area R-GA, which is east of Market Street until the area enclosed by the Henry B Gonzales Convention Center.
- Seating at Arneson River Theatre starts at $40.00. This is Area L.
- Seating along the route gets hyper-specific, with tickets priced at $19-29. Viewers can find an interactive map (pictured in a static image below) that shows where remaining tickets, ADA accommodations, and other amenities are available.
The parade route, with seating area numbers.thesanantonioriverwalk.com
Note that some areas of the map will see the floats more than an hour apart, so plan according to your section.
What to bring
Most sections do not allow viewers to bring their own chairs, unless otherwise noted. According to the website, strollers, ice chests, and carriers are also not allowed.
Where to park
There does not appear to be any event-specific parking, but a general parking guide is available here. The closest parking depends on where visitors are headed to watch the parade.
Closures
The River Walk as pictured above will close to all visitors at 4 pm. It opens back up to ticket holders at 5 pm. The last float is expected to pass through around 8 pm.
Where to eat
Since this is a great opportunity to get out to restaurants around the River Walk, a number of them are offering dinner packages. Those include:
- Paesanos Riverwalk
- Dick's Last Resort
- Iron Cactus Mexican Grill & Margarita Bar
- The Rainforest Cafe
- Zocca Cuisine D’Italia
- Cafe Olé Fajitas y Margaritas
- Hilton Palacio del Rio
- Morton's The Steakhouse
- Ácenar
- Fogo de Chão
- Hotel Contessa
- Thompson San Antonio — Riverwalk
- Range Tuscan Italian
- Biga
- Four Brothers & Ostra (Omni Hotel)
- Cavalier
- The Republic of Texas Restaurant
- Hard Rock Cafe
- Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville
Links to reserve at all the participating restaurants are available here.
