Updated November 8th, 2025
The annual downtown Grand Junction Parade of Lights is a fun annual holiday tradition here in town. This year’s version takes place on Saturday, December 6, 2025, at 5 PM on Main Street. This year’s theme is “Rock the Holiday.”
The Parade of Lights is the city’s largest holiday spectacle, with local high school marching bands, an appearance by Santa at the end, and a steady string of illuminated floats rolling under Main Street’s brightly decorated trees.
Sure, it can go on for a long time, (two hours often), and sometimes all the Harley Davidsons are loud, but the weather is usually good, and the floats, songs, and overall charming atmosphere helps you get into the holiday spirit. At least it does for me.
Any spot on Main Street between 9th and 1st is fine, but the 4th Street area (where the judges stand is typically located), is usually pretty crowded.
About the Parade of Lights in Grand Junction
The 2025 Grand Junction Parade of Lights is the 42nd edition of the event.
It’s organized by Downtown Grand Junction and presented by local sponsors. As has been custom recently, this year’s Grand Junction Parade of Lights is sponsored by the Bank of Colorado.
The family-friendly event is full of couples bundled up along the route, holiday music, and kids racing to fetch treats thrown from the floats.
You’ll also find vendors along the route selling hot chocolate, hot apple cider, and the like, usually as part of a charity.
Size and attendance
Crowd sizes vary by year and weather, but the Parade of Lights routinely draws thousands of spectators — local reports from earlier editions estimated attendance in the ballpark of 20,000 people for especially busy years — making it one of the busiest nights downtown each winter.
On parade nights, Main Street is transformed into a sea of viewers stretching for blocks, which is part of the festive charm (and something to plan around if you’re bringing a stroller or looking for a specific viewing spot).
Downtown Grand Junction Parade of Lights Floats, Entries & Length
In the past the parade has featured more than 100 floats and other entries that have included everything from the iconic, award-winning GJ Pipe float (which you may be able to see from space), to a guy on a motorcycle (no lights), dressed in a Santa hat trying to advertise something.
Maybe because of the length, a limit has been placed on 80 entries max. You’ll see a mix of business floats, community groups (my daughter’s Girl Scout troop had a float), classic cars, dance groups, marching bands, and more.
Entries are themed each year. This year’s theme is “Rock the Holidays”, and prizes are given away for the best-decorated floats.
The parade lasts around two hours.
Route and staging
The parade route starts at 9th Street and moves west toward 1st Street, all on Main Street.
Staging areas downtown (between 7th and 12th and from Grand to Ute Avenue) close earlier in the day so organizers can get floats lined up and safety checks completed.
If you’re driving downtown the staging closures will affect traffic, several hours before the parade begins.
Parade of Lights Grand Junction Parking and Arrival Tips
- With many thousands of people watching, and hundreds participating in the parade, you can imagine how parking spaces become a hot commodity during the parade of lights.
- There is free parking in downtown lots after 4:00 PM. on the night of the parade.
The city-owned Rood Avenue Parking Garage at 4th and Rood is the closest, but will be filled up well before the event.
The three city surface parking lots also fill up fast:
Rood Avenue between 6th and 7th Streets
Colorado Avenue between 6th & 7th Streets
Colorado Avenue between 4th and 5th Streets.
In the past, people would park their truck on Main Street the day of the parade, (or even the day before), and thereby score a great spot to tailgate during the parade. However the Grand Junction City Council banned all parking along the parade route. This was a good move, as the big trucks would block the views from the sidewalk.
In either case, please be sure not to park on Main Street on parade day. Any vehicle still there after 2 PM on the day of the parade will be towed.
In the past, my wife and I have parked in the lot east of the Historic Lowell School Building (think the “R5 Building” for you long-time locals). Of course, our car got broken into, but that’s because my wife left her purse visible from the front seat. (I’m still needling her about that, as you can tell).
So unless you get to downtown at least an hour ahead of time, you may not find a designated parking space. In that case, you’re best bet is to park a few blocks away on a residential street and walk. I prefer parking a little ways away on, north of Grand Avenue, so as to make a quicker getaway afterwards, but I understand some people cannot walk that far.
Grand Junction Parade of Lights Shuttle
I could not find any information as to whether or not the Grand Valley Transit offers special bus or shuttle service to the Parade of Lights, but I’ll keep my eye out and update this if a shuttle schedule is announced.
Advice When Going to the Parade of Lights
- If you want a front row seat, you’ll have to get there very early to set up your chairs. We’re talking hours ahead of time.
- Dress warm and in layers: evenings in early December here in Grand Junction, Colorado can be chilly, especially standing for long periods. I’ve been to this parade when it was too cold (for me) to watch, and we had to sneak into the Rockslide Brewery to warm up (and fill up). On other nights however, it has been in the fifty-degree range.
- Be patient with crowds and traffic: expect delays leaving downtown after the parade ends.
Other
- Don’t want to brave a potential cold night, but still want to enjoy the parade?
- There are two hotels along the parade route, both with rooms facing Main Street: The Springhill Suites by Marriott, and the Hampton Inn. These two hotels are located across from each other in the 200 block of Main Street.
- According to an article on KKCO, there are 375,000 lights put up on all of the trees on Main Street by city workers each Christmas season.
Grand Junction Christmas Tree Lighting
Somewhat related, each year, there is a wonderful tree lighting ceremony to kick off the holiday shopping season downtown.
The annual Christmas tree lighting takes place in front of the chrome buffalo at 4th and Main Street. Santa Claus stands atop the former Wells Fargo bank building (now owned by Hilltop), and pushes a button to light up the big tree, and all of the lights on Main Street.
This year, the tree lighting is on Saturday, November 22nd, 2025 at 5 PM. It’s graciously sponsored by Enstrom’s Candies.
I’ve taken my kids to this when they were younger, and it was a good time, with Santa coming down off the building to visit with the kids.
Restroom Locations
This is from last year’s official website, but I believe applies to this year’s as well:
South side of 4th and Main (Near Rockslide Brewery)
South side of 5th and Main (near Summit Canyon Mountaineering)
North side of 6th and Main near Colorado Baby
There will also be a restroom near float check-in for parade participants (corner of 9th and Rood)
(By Steve Beauregard. Graphics courtesy of downtowngj.org and visitgrandjunction.com.)