Macy's Holiday Parade + Tree Lighting Ceremony - 2008

If you're planning on shopping downtown on the Friday after Thanksgiving, don't miss the Macy's Holiday Parade. It starts at 8:45 a.m., so if you're one of the people that likes to hit the pre-dawn sales, you'll be ready for a break by then anyway.

The route:
The parade begins at Lincoln High School, then heads north on SW 14th Avenue, turns east on SW Alder Street, then south on SW 2nd Avenue, and west on SW Taylor Street. It ends back near Lincoln High School.

What you'll see:
Horses, live bands and of course ... floats! New floats this year include a dinosaur, rocking horse, Callie the Caterpillar and the Candyland Express.

Tree Lighting Ceremony:
Pioneer Courthouse Square is the place to be, starting at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. The 75-foot tree will light up the square as rock violinist Aaron Meyer and the Brown Sisters entertain guests.