# Garner Light Up Main Celebration & Holiday Parade > Event for families in the Raleigh–Cary area (NC). Times are Eastern Time. - When: Sat, Dec 5 · 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM - Where: Downtown Garner & Garner Recreation Center, 215 W Main St, Garner, NC 27529 - Ages: All ages (daytime holiday street parade followed by tree lighting festival, trackless train, and kids crafts) - Price: Free public admission; parade viewing, tree lighting activities, and kids train rides are free. - Organizer: Town of Garner Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources - Official page: https://www.garnernc.gov/departments/parks-recreation-and-cultural-resources - Last checked: Thu, Nov 5 Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Nov 10, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-10), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/raleigh/activities/garner-light-up-main-celebration-and-holiday-parade--listing-30fb306fd27b71fd6425d0c1 ## About Garner's holiday tradition brings together the afternoon Garner Christmas Parade and the evening Light Up Main celebration into one joyful family extravaganza. Starting at 2:00 PM, the parade winds through Historic Downtown Garner along Main Street, showcasing high school marching bands, festive floats from community organizations, dance teams, classic cars, fire trucks, and Santa Claus. Following the parade, families gather at the Garner Recreation Center campus and Main Street for Light Up Main, featuring the ceremonial lighting of the town tree, trackless train rides for children, gingerbread craft stations, bounce houses, local artisan shopping, and visits with Santa and holiday characters. Family Experience & Accessibility: • Stroller Accessibility: The Garner Recreation Center campus and downtown Main Street sidewalks are wide, smooth, and easily navigable with single or double strollers and folding wagons. • Nursing & Rest Spots: The indoor Garner Recreation Center features modern heated restrooms with baby changing counters, water fountains, and climate-controlled seating areas for nursing parents. • Age Suitability: Ideal for infants through elementary students and parents. Toddlers love the kiddie train rides and meet-and-greets, while older kids enjoy the craft booths and parade floats. • Sensory Tips: Parade fire trucks sound sirens briefly; setting up along the western residential stretch of Main Street offers a quieter viewing environment than right in front of the main announcer stand. ## Similar picks in Raleigh - [Light Up Main: Small Business Saturday and Tree Lighting in Downtown Garner](https://grassyknees.com/raleigh/activities/light-up-main-small-business-saturday-and-tree-lighting-in-downtown-ga--listing-20e816c6547647c7fc7781c4) — Sat, Nov 28 · 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM · Downtown Garner · All ages · Free · checked Oct 30. 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