🎄'Bigger than you think it is' Dominion Energy Christmas Parade this Saturday is 'pure happiness'

RICHMOND, Va. — The 41st annual Dominion Energy Christmas Parade will step off from the Science Museum of Virginia on Broad Street this Saturday.

The parade, which begins at 10 a.m. and runs until noon, will run between the museum and 7th Street.

Parade Director Tara Daudani, one of the hundreds of volunteers making sure that everything runs smoothly, said the event is "bigger than you think it is."

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These roads will be closed for the Dominion Energy Christmas Parade in Richmond

WTVR CBS 6 Web Staff

"There are eight bands, 100 units, dancers, clowns, floats — and it's just spectacular," Daudani said. "It's local and it's filled with community participants. But it's a pretty, pretty big thing."

The parade marks the official kick-off to the holiday season. This year’s Grand Marshall is a hometown hero Charlie Swanson.

"He won a gold and a silver medal at the Paris Olympics this summer in the swimming events," Daudani said. "He is going to come and lead the parade and we're very excited to have him."

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As always, there will be Legendary Santa, floats and marching bands that everyone looks forward to.

"We've got a couple of units with dogs this year, we've got some horses in the parade," Daudani said. "We've got a couple of new local floats that are exciting. Some balloons, some slingshot vehicles, which are always a crowd favorite. Some of our favorites like Ghostbusters and Star Wars are back."

There are prime viewing spots along the parade route so come early and create your own family tradition.

"My favorite part is watching the crowds react to all the humans," Daudani said. "All the little kids are so excited they're waving. The parents are so happy. Everyone is just having a joyous, fun time and it's just pure happiness."

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LINK: Check out this year’s parade lineup

The tradition, which is free and open to the public, attracts tens of thousands of people from across the state and thousands more tune in for the TV and online broadcasts.

WTVR CBS 6 will broadcast the parade live on television, on WTVR.com and on the CBS 6 Streaming Appbeginning at 10 a.m. Get the app on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Android TV. Just search "CBS 6 Richmond" in your app store.

You can catch a replay of the parade on Christmas Day from 9-11 a.m. on CBS 6. The broadcast will also replay all day on Christmas on 6.3, our digital subchannel. You can find CBS 6.3 over the air or on Verizon 466 and Comcast 206.