Historic Holiday Parade kicks off the season
- The Reston Letter Staff
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
By Gene Policinski, Staff Writer
Thousands lined streets in Reston Town Center on Nov. 28 for the 2025 Reston Holiday Parade and evening tree lighting event, bundled against brisk winds and wind-chill temperatures near 20 degrees.
The 33rd annual parade down Market Street featured multiple choral and dance troupes, the Washington Nationals’ “racing presidents” mascots, and costumed Kiwanis Club marchers promoting the group’s annual “Polar Dip.” The 2026 plunge into Lake Anne is set for Feb. 7, raising funds for groups that support children’s services.
The parade–recognized first in 2015 by USA TODAY as one of the nation’s leading holiday festivities–featured around 60 parade groups and hundreds of marchers, including giant balloons, scout troops, members of the Shriners’ fraternal organization driving tiny racing cars. and local sports league team champions.
Police and fire and rescue units from Fairfax County, Fair Oaks, Sterling, and Washington D.C. drove the route, some with lights and sirens blaring, along with motorcycle teams. Several thousand spectators standing three- and four-deep on sidewalks saw costumed characters Frosty the Polar Bear, Peppermint Penguin, and The Grinch strolling down Market Street. The characters remained afterwards for “selfies” with spectators.
Some sightseers said they arrived as early as 7:30 a.m. to gain curbside seats along the route. Others said they had attended the parade as children and now bring their youngsters. The crowd included families from Herndon, Sterling, Fairfax, and South Riding, holiday visitors from New York City and Chicago, and families from several other nations.
Angie Goff and Marina Marraco from Fox 5 DC were parade hosts. They noted that the SLHS marching band, marching near the parade’s conclusion, is preparing to represent Virginia at the national Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade on Dec. 7 in Hawaii.
A notable parade participant was Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid, riding in an open car, the first woman to hold that law enforcement post. Newly elected U.S. Representative James Walkinshaw, Fairfax County Supervisor Walter Alcorn, State Delegate Karen Keys Garmarra, and State Sen. Jennifer Boysko also rode in the parade.
The SLHS Vocal Arts Chorus began the parade with the national anthem, along with the Fairfax County Police Honor Guard–which the parade host noted had performed earlier this year at the funeral of former president Jimmy Carter. The arrival of Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, in a horse-drawn carriage, closed the one-hour, half-mile parade. They returned about 6:30 p.m. for the lighting of the Town Center holiday tree.
During the day, the holiday celebration along Market Street featured ice skating, ice carving demonstrations, mini train and horse-drawn carriage rides, a special mailbox for “letters to Santa,” and live holiday music from the Reston Chorale and the Reston Orchestra.
BPX, Reston Town Center Association and Reston Community Center are partners and sponsors of the parade and tree lighting. A representative from Town Center developer BPX said in e-mail comments that planning for each year’s parade begins in the first three months of the year.
Video coverage of the entire 2025 parade Fox 5 News is available at https://www.fox5dc.com/video/1748382/