Spokane Lilac Festival Association to hold downtown holiday parade Saturday afternoon

After the cancellation of two consecutive Lilac parades during the pandemic, organizers will hold a holiday-themed event Saturday on the streets of downtown Spokane.

The parade will begin at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Spokane Falls Boulevard and Washington Street and follow a path including Riverside and Main avenues before ending just outside Spokane City Hall. Participants will include local high school marching bands, law enforcement agencies and representatives of Fairchild Air Force Base.

Santa himself will be bringing up the rear. He’ll then move to River Park Square, where the Christmas tree will be lit at 5:30 p.m. Santa will also begin greeting visitors then.

River Park Square is owned by the Cowles Co., which also publishes The Spokesman-Review.

The parade starts southbound on Washington Street, turning west on Riverside Avenue before heading back north on Post Street. It then loops east on Main Avenue, north on Stevens Street and finally heads west on Spokane Falls, where it ends.

Fireworks will follow at 6 p.m. in Kendall Yards. Downtown visitors should be aware of road closures and additional traffic on Saturday.

Volunteers will be collecting donations for the Toys for Tots charity at stops along the parade route.

The Spokane Lilac Festival Association is looking for donors to provide space to repair and store floats for events throughout the year, the nonprofit announced in October. Donations can be made at spokanelilacfestival.org.

The 84th annual Lilac Festival Torchlight Parade is scheduled for May 21.