Where were you on the second Saturday of December last year? If you were anywhere near the Jackson County Courthouse, you probably spent the afternoon touring decorated homes, then stayed on the square into the evening to watch lit-up floats roll around it. Holton put both events on the same day, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025.
That won't happen in 2026. According to The Holton Recorder's Sept. 30 edition, the 26th annual Christmas Parade of Lights will be held Saturday, Nov. 28. That's Thanksgiving weekend, on the same day as national Small Business Saturday and the holiday lighting of the town square. The Christmas Homes Tour is staying in December. The Holton/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce calendar still lists it for Saturday, Dec. 12, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
So the one big December Saturday is now two Saturdays, two weeks apart. The parade used to close out the season. This year it opens it.
The date moved after the plan was already in print
The new date wasn't the original plan. Last spring, the Recorder's April 22 edition laid out the Chamber's "Small-Town Christmas" for Saturday, Dec. 12. That lineup included the annual Parade of Lights, shopping, live entertainment, visits with Santa, and a gingerbread house decorating contest. By the end of September the parade had moved to Nov. 28. The Homes Tour stayed on Dec. 12.
| 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas Parade of Lights | Sat., Dec. 13 | Sat., Nov. 28 |
| Christmas Homes Tour | Sat., Dec. 13, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. | Sat., Dec. 12, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. |
| Square lighting | Not stated | With the parade, Nov. 28 |
| Same day? | Yes | No |
The Chamber hasn't said publicly why it made the change. The Sept. 30 announcement ties the new date to Small Business Saturday and the square lighting. It also says planning is underway, with some new activities being added and some long-running favorites that have been held on parade day "for many years" coming back. The new activities haven't been named yet. The newest Recorder issue as of this week is dated Oct. 21, so watch the next few editions for start times, lineup details and the full schedule.
What parade day looked like last year
The 2026 run of show hasn't been published yet. Here's how the 25th annual parade went in 2025, as the Recorder reported it. These are last year's times, so use them as a rough guide, not this year's schedule.
- 5 p.m.: Parade lineup started along New York Avenue, just north of the downtown Casey's.
- 5 p.m.: Studio 1 Dance Center students danced to Christmas songs outside, on the east side of the Jackson County Courthouse.
- 5:30 p.m.: The Parade of Lights went around the Holton Town Square.
- After the parade: Santa and Mrs. Claus visited with kids.
Last year that evening came after a full day of other events, including the Homes Tour. This year Nov. 28 builds its day around Small Business Saturday instead. That gives the shops around the square the daytime crowd before the lights come on. The Chamber calendar lists Small Business Saturday for Nov. 28 but hasn't posted hours or a list of participating stores.
If you're building a float, your deadline just got two weeks shorter
This part of the change affects people directly. Anyone who put an entry together for December now has two fewer weeks to finish it, and the last stretch runs right through Thanksgiving week. The Recorder saw this coming. Its September announcement urged people to start planning now how they'll light up their parade entries, and it closed with this line:
"Let's all plan to make this year's Christmas Parade the best one ever!"
Last year the parade was open to almost anyone: law enforcement and emergency personnel, city and county departments, area clubs, service organizations, churches, businesses, school groups and families. Entries included lit vehicles, floats, farm machinery and side-by-sides. Three prizes were offered in 2025:
- Best Business Float: $50 in Chamber Bucks from The Farmers State Bank
- Best Club or Organization Float: $50 in Chamber Bucks from GNBank
- Best Religious Entry: $50 in Recorder Bucks from The Holton Recorder
Those were last year's prizes. Check with the Chamber for 2026 categories and how to register before you start wiring a hay rack.
Dec. 12 now has the square to itself
With the parade gone from its date, Dec. 12 belongs to the Homes Tour. In 2025 the Chamber sponsored the tour, and it featured four homes in and around Holton. Ticket holders also had a hospitality hall at Mare's Coffee Shop & Cool Stuff on the west side of the square, with hot chocolate, coffee, shortbread, sugar cookies, candies and nuts.
Here's how 2025 tickets worked, as a baseline:
- Advance, $15: sold at the Chamber office, 104 W. Fifth St. on the north side of the square, and at the Holton locations of Denison State Bank, The Farmers State Bank and GNBank
- Day of the tour, $20: sold at Mare's
The 2026 homes, prices and ticket outlets haven't been announced. The tour now runs on its own day, so the 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. window is the whole event. Last year people could tour homes and then stay downtown for the parade. This year there's no parade to wait for.
The Friday before has its own early start. The Chamber calendar lists Early Morning Sales on Friday, Dec. 11, from 6 to 10 a.m. Participating businesses haven't been named.
The rest of the season, in order
The parade's move also puts it in a different spot on the calendar. It now falls between a run of November events instead of after them. Here's the full season in date order, from the Chamber calendar and the Recorder:
- Fri., Nov. 6 – Sun., Nov. 8: Thoughtful Giving Day, Jackson County Community Foundation
- Sat., Nov. 7: Holton Mercantile Holiday Open House
- Sat., Nov. 14: Handmade For The Holidays, planned in April with Christmas window art and murals on businesses around the square
- Wed., Nov. 25: Holton Mercantile Ice Cream Special
- Sat., Nov. 28: Small Business Saturday, square lighting and the 26th annual Christmas Parade of Lights
- Fri., Dec. 11: Early Morning Sales, 6–10 a.m.
- Sat., Dec. 12: Christmas Homes Tour, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Fri., Dec. 18 – Sun., Dec. 20: "The Southern-Fried Yuletide Comedy – Christmas Belles"
Put that way, November is now the busy month. The square goes from window art on Nov. 14 to the lighting and parade two weeks later. If family is coming home for Thanksgiving, the parade is now part of their visit, the Saturday after the turkey. The Homes Tour and "Christmas Belles" round out a quieter December.
If you're hosting over Thanksgiving and want to show your guests the square at its best, or you're starting to think about what the holidays might look like in a new house next year, I'm always happy to talk it through. No pressure. Wendie Edwards with NE Kansas Homes would love to help. Schedule a consultation whenever it suits you, and I'll see you on the square Nov. 28.
