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Thanksgiving weekend is parade weekend in Morris County. Madison, Boonton and Denville have each run their Christmas parades on the days right after Thanksgiving, Dover kicks off its season with a lighted parade down Blackwell Street, and fire companies across the county drive Santa through the neighborhoods in December. Here is when and where to watch, based on each town’s recent schedule, plus what we know about 2026.
Thanksgiving 2026 is Thursday, November 26, so the long weekend runs Friday, November 27 through Sunday, November 29. Most parade committees post their official dates in early November, and we will update this page as each one confirms.
Madison Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting
Madison holds its parade on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Last year it stepped off at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, November 28, 2025 on Main Street, with floats, marching bands and performances for about 60 to 75 minutes, followed right away by the town tree lighting. An all volunteer committee runs it. Get there early for a curb spot on Main Street. Details are posted on the Morris County Tourism Bureau listing and the parade’s Facebook page.
Boonton Fire Department Christmas Parade
Boonton’s parade is one of the longest running in the county. The 31st annual parade ran Saturday, November 29, 2025 from 1 to 4 p.m., starting at the Upper Plane Street lot at 816 Main Street and ending at Santa Land, 124 North Main Street, with a rain date the next day. It has landed on the Saturday after Thanksgiving three years running, and the committee awards cash prizes for the best floats. Watch the Boonton Fire Department events page for the 2026 date and float sign ups. Our Boonton guide has where to eat on Main Street afterward.
Dover Holiday Kickoff Parade and Tree Lighting
Dover makes a whole evening of it. Last year’s Holiday Kickoff on Monday, December 1, 2025 started with a holiday market at JFK Park from 3 to 9 p.m. The parade stepped off at 6 p.m. from Crescent Field Parking Lot B, ran down Blackwell Street, turned onto North Bergen Street and ended at JFK Park for the tree lighting, horse drawn carriage rides, a trackless train, a live nativity, a giant snow globe photo spot and a visit from the Grinch. Dover’s date has moved around in recent years, so check the town’s website in November.
Denville Holiday Parade
Denville’s holiday parade brings Santa downtown on Old Betsy, the Denville Fire Department’s oldest fire truck. It has traditionally run on the Sunday after Thanksgiving in the early afternoon, kicking off the Downtown Denville holiday season. Watch Downtown Denville for the 2026 details.
Santa Fire Truck Tours
In a lot of Morris County towns, the parade comes to you. Fire companies load Santa onto a truck and drive every street in town on a December weekend, and kids wave from the front yard.
- Whippany: Santa and Sparky tour Whippany on a Whippany Fire Company truck the Saturday before the firehouse’s pancake breakfast, with the route posted on the department’s social media. Last year the breakfast was Sunday, December 14, 2025. More in our breakfast with Santa guide.
- Parsippany: The Parsippany fire districts publish Santa Tracker routes each year so families know when Santa’s truck will pass their neighborhood.
- Boonton: Separate from the parade, Santa has toured every street in Boonton by fire truck on a December Sunday.
One Confirmed Kickoff: The Morristown Green
Morristown does not hold a parade, but its big kickoff is set: Santa’s Arrival and the Lighting of the Morristown Green is Saturday, November 28, 2026, opening the Christmas Festival at the Morristown Green. For more holiday plans, see our Christmas lights guide.
Featured photo via Pexels.
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