From Staff Reports 

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Reports circulating this week that Asheville’s annual Holiday Parade “may be no more are getting quashed by city leaders and the executive director of the Asheville Downtown Association,” Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) reported on Aug. 14.

“I’ve heard that the Asheville parade is not going to be happening this year,” Tara Redpath, who grew up in Asheville, told News 13. “I think that’s very sad, just because it’s happened every year since I was a kid.”

Jen Lauzon, who co-owns Lazoom Bus Tours with her husband, told the TV station that “they would dress up Lazoom’s recognizable purple school bus with lots of participants.”

Further, Lauzon told News 13, “We have loved being a part of the holiday parade,. We use it as a time to showcase our holiday characters. I would be disappointed if it were gone.”

The TV station added, “In 2024, the city entered a three-year contract with the Asheville Downtown Association to produce the Asheville Holiday Parade.

“Last year, the parade was cancelled after Helene. A Holiday Jamboree with vendors took place, drawing thousands to Pack Square. The parade costs the city around $150,000 to put on. It includes costs for overtime for police, fire and public works.”

“At the moment, we still have a contract with the Asheville Downtown Association to run a parade,” Chris Corl, director of Community Facilities for Asheville, told News 13. “We do have the holiday parade budgeted — and we’re working to find out a solution of what we might do this year.”

The TV station added, “A source familiar with conversations between city staff and the ADA said there was a misunderstanding about talks, budget concerns, and considering the parade as the one event to cut in 2025.”

Meanwhile, Kim Miller, spokewoman for the City of Asheville, told News 13. “The Asheville Downtown Association is an independent nonprofit and not a city department, therefore the city did not request that they ‘cut’ the parade...

 “However, during the development of the FY26 budget, we did have discussions with ADA about the budget constraints the city was facing. 

“Within our department’s efforts to explore opportunities to reduce overall budget, discussions with the ADA occurred surrounding various ways to reduce expenses related to both Independence Day and Holiday Parade events.”

News 13 then noted that “the ADA has a calendar of events listed on its website” and “in November, it’s the Holiday Jamboree listed as the event online, with no listing in December for the parade. The jubilee last year replaced the parade after Helene cancelled it.”