Canton Optimist Club
2026 39th ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARADE
39th Annual Christmas Parade on December 12, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.
Merry Market from noon to 6:00. Click here for vendor information to the Merry Market
The highlighted route above is the official viewing route for the parade. It moves east from W Main St and Waleska St to North St where it turns left and moves west on North St.
THE STAGING INSTRUCTIONS BELOW ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE...
Click Here to Register for the Parade
All participants and guests are asked to bring a canned food item for the Cherokee Schools Food Pantries. We will collect the donations at both the parade staging locations. All donations will go to serve Cherokee Country children.
Parade Information Detailed Below:
Weather
Candy
Floats and Most Vehicles Staging
Walkers and Some Vehicles Staging
1 Weather -
2 Candy - Do not distribute candy from the parade until your group has reached Academy Street in the route. This is for safety reasons. CPD has asked that we cooperate better this year with this request.
3 Floats and Most Vehicles Staging
STAGING AT OLD CHEROKEE HIGH SCHOOL WILL BEGIN AT 3:00.
PLEASE DO NOT ARRIVE FOR STAGING BEFORE 3:00.
Enter CHS at the traffic light intersection. You will be directed to where you should go at Checkpoint 1. See the map below. We will provide your lineup number after you check in.
At the end of the parade, all motorized vehicles in the parade will travel west on North St to Waleska St, turn left on Anderson Ave, left on Marietta Hwy. You may then return to Cherokee HS or continue on Marietta Hwy. The CPD will be enforcing this more this year for safety purposes.
4 Walkers and Some Vehicles Staging. All vehicles stage at Cherokee High School unless you have been instructed to stage at West Main St.
STAGING AT WEST MAIN STREET WILL BEGIN AT 3:30.
West Main St will be blocked to traffic. You may park around City Hall, Brown Park, or behind the court houses on North St. One of our volunteers at West Main will direct you to your location. We will provide your lineup number after you check in.