Peoria Area Community Events (PACE) is pleased to announce the theme of the 138th Annual Santa Claus Parade is “Decades of Holiday Celebrations”, honoring the many milestone anniversaries in the area. The parade, scheduled to step off at 9:15 a.m. on November 28, 2025 (time is subject to change), is the longest running holiday parade in the country. The parade features costumed characters, novelty walking units, decorated floats, marching bands, and of course Santa Claus.
Costumes and floats depicting the parade theme “Decades of Holiday Celebrations” will compete for awards presented for the Best Novelty Unit, Best Overall Unit, Best New Entry, Best Commercial Float Entry, Best Non-Profit Float Entry, and Best Religious Float Entry.
Applications are now available for entering the 2025 Santa Claus Parade and can be downloaded on this page. Area businesses and organizations wishing to participate should contact PACE at (309) 691-3553. All entries must be submitted by October 24th, 2025.