Generous donor agrees to fund Dallas Holiday Parade
DALLAS - There will be a Christmas parade in Dallas this year thanks to a generous donor who has agreed to help fund the event.
Dallas Holiday Parade executive director Jeffrey Giles said someone came forward with funding just after 5 a.m. Thursday. That person or group will be announced Friday afternoon.
This year's parade is still scheduled to take place on Saturday, Dec. 2. The route will go down Commerce from Houston Street to Harwood.
On Monday, Giles turned to the media to ask for a Christmas miracle. He said several corporate sponsors have already contributed smaller amounts and the Statler Hotel donated $50,000, but he still needed to raise $320,000 to pay for the event.
Last spring, Children’s Health announced it would no longer be the parade’s sponsor after decades of hosting it. Costs associated with the parade include security, medical personnel and barricades.
Giles was hoping some big corporation in North Texas would step up and save the celebration this year.
“At the end of the day basically, this is a gift to the City of Dallas,” Giles said. “This parade was created as a gift to the City of Dallas and to the children. And what better way to give to an organization? What better way to give to a city?"
Giles said more than 5,000 volunteers are now getting back to work to make the tradition happen. Another 5,000 people are expected to march in this year's parade.