Norfolk's 40th Grand Illumination Parade is 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, downtown, with the skyline lighting at the start. Free. Yule Log Bonfire: Dec. 5.

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. This page is updated each year. Facts come from the Downtown Norfolk Council’s Grand Illumination Parade page and its parade day information (still showing 2025 details when we checked), and Norfolk Festevents’ Yule Log Bonfire page.

Norfolk’s holiday season opens with the 40th Annual Grand Illumination Parade at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, in downtown Norfolk. The parade is held every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving and is free. At 7 p.m. a synchronized countdown lights up the downtown skyline, and the parade steps off at the same moment.

This year’s theme is Ruby Radiance, for the 40th anniversary, the Downtown Norfolk Council says, and the lineup is complete.

Who to call

  • Parade questions: Downtown Norfolk Council, downtownnorfolk.org
  • Street closures and parking: Norfolk Cares, 757-664-6510
  • Police, not an emergency: 757-441-5610
  • Yule Log Bonfire: Norfolk Festevents, festevents.org

Grand Illumination Parade: what to know

From the council’s parade day information, written for the 2025 parade; the 2026 version had not been posted when we checked:

  • Start: the countdown, skyline lighting and parade all begin at 7 p.m.
  • Length: about an hour from when the first unit reaches your spot.
  • Route: about 2 miles, from St. Paul’s Boulevard and Main Street, along Main Street to Granby Street heading north, west on Freemason Street, south on Boush Street, and ending on Waterside Drive near Water Street.
  • Street closures: police began closing streets around 5 p.m., and heavy traffic started then.
  • Seating: chairs are allowed, but do not leave them unattended; unattended items are removed. No street seats were sold in 2025.
  • Food: vendors along the route, plus downtown restaurants.
  • Restrooms: portable restrooms along the route; ask a volunteer in a yellow vest.
  • Accessibility: all viewing areas along the route are ADA accessible.
  • Watch from home: the parade streams live on the Downtown Norfolk Facebook page and stays up afterward on Facebook and YouTube.

Arrive early. Early bird rates apply in most downtown garages, the council says. The city lists its decks on its parking garage map, and The Tide light rail stops downtown; see our getting around guide.

Holiday Yule Log Bonfire and Holiday Marketplace

On Saturday, Dec. 5, from noon to 8 p.m., Norfolk Festevents turns Town Point Park on the downtown waterfront into an outdoor holiday market with a towering Yule log bonfire, local artisans, Christmas caroling, hot chocolate and whiskey tastings, and Santa. The event, Santa visits included, is free and open to the public, Festevents says.

Trash pickup around the holidays

Thanksgiving Thursday’s trash routes move to Saturday, Nov. 28, and Christmas Day’s Friday routes move to Saturday, Dec. 26, under the city’s holiday schedule. Details are in our trash and recycling guide.

What this means for you

  • Mark Saturday, Nov. 21, at 7 p.m. for the parade and the skyline lighting.
  • Expect downtown streets to start closing around 5 p.m.
  • Saturday, Dec. 5, is the Yule Log Bonfire at Town Point Park.

Related: things to do this month, getting around Norfolk and the weekend guide.

Light displays, Santa visits and holiday markets: holiday lights and Christmas events.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Norfolk Christmas parade in 2026?

The 40th Annual Grand Illumination Parade is at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, in downtown Norfolk, the Saturday before Thanksgiving. It is free.

What is the Grand Illumination Parade route?

In 2025 the 2-mile route started at St. Paul’s Boulevard and Main Street, ran along Main Street to Granby Street north, west on Freemason Street, south on Boush Street and ended on Waterside Drive near Water Street. Check the Downtown Norfolk Council’s map for 2026.

When do streets close for the Grand Illumination Parade?

Police began closing downtown streets around 5 p.m. for the 2025 parade, and heavy traffic started about the same time, the Downtown Norfolk Council said.

Is there a Christmas tree lighting in Norfolk?

The Grand Illumination Parade opens with a synchronized countdown and the lighting of the downtown skyline at 7 p.m. Norfolk Festevents’ Holiday Yule Log Bonfire at Town Point Park on Dec. 5 brings Santa visits, caroling and a market.