Ringing in the Holidays Baltimore Style: The 52nd Annual Mayor’s Christmas Parade

You never know exactly what you will see at the Mayor’s Christmas Parade in Baltimore. Past participants include The Grinch, non-traditional Santas hailing from every corner of the “Santaverse,” and a local superhero with an Old Bay utility belt who has dubbed himself Captain Maryland. In a neighborhood known for quirky displays like the annual Hampden Toilet Bowl Race and the now defunct Honfest, the Mayor’s Christmas Parade fits right in. 

Currently running a 1.5 mile jaunt from Poly/Western through Hampden and Medfield, the first Mayor’s Christmas Parade took place in 1972. It has since become an annual holiday tradition. After the long running Hochschild-Kohn Toytown Parade went defunct, then mayor William Donald Schaefer searched for the right people to create their own holiday celebration. Tom Kerr, the head of the Hampden Business Association, knew that the Hampden neighborhood was the best spot to showcase the sort of festivities Schaefer had in mind. 

After 2023’s 50th anniversary parade, Kerr, affectionately known as “Parade Man,” stepped down. No one was sure that the parade would continue. 

In Parade Day, a 40 minute documentary released this fall, a new parade committee finds their way to 36th Street. The film, directed by Michael Ivan Schwartz and Hannah Oneda, aims to examine what it takes to keep a tradition going. We meet new chairperson David Stysley and his team of coordinators including Leeann Blanchard, Allen Robinson, and Yong Taing. During the transition and lead up to the 51st parade, the crew encounters a number of hurdles they could have never anticipated. 

In previous years, Kerr and his wife, Sharen, did everything by hand, keeping meticulous notes and forms on all entries and participants. Kerr’s retirement doesn’t mean that he is no longer involved in the production. He makes many appearances in the film, advising the team wherever necessary and participating in a panel on the actual parade day. 

Viewers get to watch Stysley and crew bring the parade into the digital age, a stark contrast from the past 50 years. They step in wherever needed, from organizing and raising funds to filling in wrangling children, dancers, and marching bands. Blanchard even ends up directing traffic across Coldspring Lane, ushering people across as swiftly as possible between traffic lights. It’s hilarious, but you believe her when she says she isn’t returning to do this job next year. 

Each obstacle is met with a sense of humor that is admirable, making the film compelling to watch. A particularly comical scene involves the team making sure that there are enough city workers on site to pick up after the horses during the parade. No one thought that this would need to be an assigned job, but now they know. 

The hope is that Parade Day will inspire and inform viewers, turning them into attendees, sponsors, participants, and volunteers. Schwartz believes if the parade is to continue for another fifty years, “it’s going to need a new set of young people to get involved.”

Ultimately, Parade Day accomplishes its goal of enlightening and energizing audiences, providing many feel-good moments. You won’t walk out of the film with deep ponderances, but anticipate a good dose of eccentric local history, along with the best sort of marshmallowy fluff that goes well with a seasonally appropriate hot chocolate.

Now in its 52nd year, The Mayor’s Christmas Parade faces a new set of challenges as it continues to evolve. Every parade is different and the planning committee is expected to change every year. “The old guard is gone,” Schwartz expressed, “and in some ways, we hope this will be a launching pad to invite in folks that are outside of our internal community.”

The tradition is a spectacle that draws you in with flashing lights and tinsel, but at the core, it’s about celebrating the season and connecting as Baltimoreans to make our community brighter. Parade Day shows off the best parts about our city: our willingness to show up and support one another.

This year’s Mayor’s Christmas Parade will take place on Sunday, December 14th, 2025 from 1pm to 4pm. Parade Day will screen at The Charles on Thursday, Dec 18th. Local musicians Rolling Chrome have four featured songs in the movie, and they will be on site playing music from the movie as well as other holiday classics. A Q & A with the filmmakers and the parade committee will follow the screening. To sign up for updates about how to view the movie, visit Loud Communications.