Davidson's 44-year-old holiday parade will be half its usual size this December because a $15 million state highway project has closed off its traditional route.
The 44th Annual North Mecklenburg Holiday Parade is set for Saturday, Dec. 5, at 1 p.m. The alternate route will cover less than a mile, down from the usual two-mile stretch along N.C. 115 from downtown Davidson to Cornelius, according to the Town of Davidson. Entries are capped at 50, half of last year's 100, Country 1037 reported.
The parade will start at Main Street and Griffith Street, proceed along Main Street and turn right onto South Street. It will end at McEver Fields near Davidson Elementary School by 3 p.m., The Charlotte Observer reported, citing a Sept. 7 letter from Leslie Willis, Davidson Parks and Recreation director.
Why the change
Two North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) projects awarded to Virginia-based Caton Construction Group in late 2023 are reshaping roads in Davidson and Cornelius. One replaces the T-intersection at N.C. 115 and Potts Street in Cornelius with a roundabout. The other connects Potts, Sloan and Beaty streets in Davidson to create a parallel route to N.C. 115. Both are expected to finish by late 2026, with landscaping stretching into spring 2027.
Nazira Atme, executive chef and owner of Habibi Lebanon Bar & Grill on South Main Street, told The Charlotte Observer in March that the road work caused a $20,000 drop in business in February alone.
"We are hanging on a thread," Atme said in March. "We need help. How, we don't know."
Road closures and what to know
Streets along the parade route will close no later than 12:30 p.m. Dec. 5. Staging areas will close earlier, with lineup running from 10 a.m. to noon. Willis asked homeowners along South Street and nearby streets to avoid parking on the street during closures, the Observer reported. The town expects to post the full street closure schedule online by Nov. 2.
In her Sept. 7 letter to residents, Willis said the town remains committed to the tradition and asked neighbors to help make this year's parade a success, the Observer reported.
After the parade, a Merry Main Street Tricycle Race will take over Main Street in front of the Town Green, Lake Norman Publications reported. Four-person teams sponsored by local Davidson businesses will race through an obstacle course.
The parade tradition started 44 years ago as a fundraiser to help a local family with medical bills. Residents with questions can contact Davidson Parks and Recreation at [email protected] or 704-892-3349.
Upcoming community events
- Saturday, Dec. 5, 1 p.m. — 44th Annual North Mecklenburg Holiday Parade, Main Street and Griffith Street, Davidson
- Saturday, Dec. 5, after the parade — Merry Main Street Tricycle Race, Main Street at the Town Green, Davidson
