CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One of Charlotte’s beloved and well-known holiday traditions, the 74th annual Novant Health Thanksgiving Day Parade, has now been impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with the event going virtual this year.
The announcement was made on the Charlotte Center City and Novant Health Thanksgiving Day Parade’s Facebook pages Tuesday morning. Each post with the same unison message saying, “The 74th annual Thanksgiving Day Parade goes virtual this year! When it {COVID}s on your parade you got to make the most of it.”
Chief Creative Officer at Charlotte Center City Partners Robert Krumbine made the following statement about the event going virtual in 2020:
“While we’re saddened that the parade won’t be live in Uptown this year, we know that moving the event to a TV special is what’s best for the community. We can all celebrate this long-standing tradition with family and friends in the comfort of our homes and we will welcome in the holiday season to Charlotte in the safest way possible. The best part about the parade has always been its ability to bring the community together, whether in person or virtually. Just know that the 75th anniversary event next year – the diamond anniversary – will be spectacular!”
The celebration will feature “best of” segments from years past including floats, marching bands, balloons, and other performances. Local and regional performers will to be featured during the TV special. Additional segments are expected to include virtual all-star performances, parade history and fun facts, community giving back, highlighting front-line heroes and healthy cooking features.
“Time spent with friends and family is what makes the parade and our holiday traditions special,” Jesse Cureton, executive vice president and chief consumer officer for Novant Health said. “This year’s virtual celebration will showcase some of our favorite memories from previous parades as we look forward to the holiday season.”
The announcement comes less than a week after the Southern Christmas Show stated that their usual in-person event would be canceled and a virtual event would be considered.
For Additional Information:
Click here for more on the Novant Health Thanksgiving Day Parade.
