"Our team is committed to preserving the parade's legacy and traditions while ensuring it thrives for future generations," retired USCG CDR Tracy Riley said in March, in the Chamber of Commerce announcement that put the Jingle Bell Parade in new hands. Riley is Executive Director of the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival. That makes this a real change for Grand Haven. The group that fills the waterfront every August is now the same group that lines Harbor Drive and Washington Avenue with holiday floats on the first Saturday night of December.
The parade is set for Saturday, December 5, 2026, at 6 p.m. From the curb, most of it will look the way it always has. The changes are mostly in the rulebook and in who you'd call with a question. Around it, the rest of the holiday season in Grand Haven and Spring Lake still comes from several different hosts, and the parade is the event most of those weeks build toward.
Decades With the Chamber, Year One With the Festival
For decades, the Chamber of Commerce Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Ferrysburg organized and hosted the parade. Its March 6, 2026 release says leadership moves to the Coast Guard Festival starting this year. Chamber President and CEO Mark Allen pointed to the Festival's "deep roots in community celebration and event management" as the reason the parade fits there. He also said, "We know the Jingle Bell Parade is in exceptional hands with their dedicated team."
The Chamber isn't just walking away. The release says it will help during the transition and support the Festival as it gets ready to host its first Jingle Bell Parade. Questions about entering, scheduling or volunteering now go to the Coast Guard Festival at 616.846.5940. Groups that entered under the Chamber now register through the Festival's site and pay its $100 entry fee.
The Festival is keeping the familiar parts on purpose. Its 2026 events page promises "the same festive date and parade route you know and love," now with the Festival team in charge. It invites businesses, organizations, families, community groups, marching units and decorated vehicles to sign up.
The Route, Block by Block
VisitGrandHaven's listing lays out the 2026 route, which loops through downtown before ending at the tree:
- Step-off at 6 p.m. on Franklin Street.
- West on Franklin to Harbor Drive.
- North along Harbor Drive.
- East on Washington Avenue.
- Finish at Central Park for the community tree lighting.
The listing promises more than 80 holiday-themed floats for 2026, plus music and appearances by Santa and Mrs. Claus. At Central Park, the night ends with a Christmas carol sing-along with Santa and Mrs. Claus. The Salvation Army will serve hot chocolate, and local businesses will hand out candy to the crowd.
Because the route loops, you have a choice to make. Harbor Drive gives you the long north-south stretch. Washington Avenue puts you closest to the tree lighting and the cocoa line. Either way, the evening ends at Central Park.
What the 2026 Rulebook Says, Seen From the Curb
The rules on the Festival's 2026 parade registration page are written for people building floats. Still, most of them shape what you'll see from the sidewalk. Each entry costs $100 plus a $4 credit card processing fee.
| Rule for entries | What it means at the curb |
|---|---|
| Candy is not permitted in the parade "again this year" | No candy tossed from floats, so the candy handout happens at Central Park |
| About 50 feet of spacing, measured as two yellow road pavement markings | Steady gaps between floats |
| No countermarching, dancing in place, drilling or stopping | A parade that keeps moving instead of bunching up |
| Walking groups capped at 15 people; car clubs capped at 15 vehicles | Shorter, tighter entries |
| Entries no taller than 12 feet; towed items no longer than 30 feet; no semi trucks | Floats sized for downtown streets |
| Every vehicle carries a working fire extinguisher, per the Grand Haven Department of Public Safety | Safety gear on every motorized entry |
| Music encouraged, and noted on the application | "The more music the better!!" is the Festival's own wording |
The rules also say the parade is not a platform for political, religious or social causes, and that campaigning or advocacy of any kind is strictly prohibited. They cite the city's open receptacles ordinance, which bans drinking on public land in every area tied to the parade. They also note that Public Safety bans burnouts by parade vehicles and will write tickets. A "Jingle Bell Parade Street Squad" will be posted along the route to report violations to the parade committee. Breaking the rules can affect an entry's eligibility in future years.
That's an organizer that has run big crowds before writing those habits down. A no-stopping rule and a fixed gap between floats help keep a downtown packed with families moving toward the tree on time.
Three Weeks of Lead-Up, Hosted by Different People
Between mid-November and December 5, Grand Haven and Spring Lake fill the calendar with events, and nearly every one has a different host. Here are the confirmed 2026 dates:
- Saturday, November 14, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Holiday Craft & Artisan Market at Central Park Place, 421 Columbus Avenue, with 57 West Michigan vendors. Duneside Events is the contact.
- Friday, November 20, 5 to 8 p.m. Holiday Light Night on Washington Avenue, hosted by Grand Haven Main Street and participating businesses. The listing calls it the lighting of the district and the start of the holiday season.
- Saturday, November 28, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Small Business Saturday along Washington Avenue in downtown Grand Haven.
- Saturday, November 28, 6 to 8 p.m. The Spring Lake Sparkle Kickoff at Epicurean Village, 110 W. Savidge Street. The lighting ceremony comes with caroling, hot cocoa and Santa arriving by Spring Lake Fire Truck.
- Wednesday, December 2, 5 to 8:30 p.m. Merchants & Makers Holiday Shopping at Snug Harbor, 311 S. Harbor Drive.
- Thursdays through Saturdays, December 3 to 19. Santa in the Workshop in the Epicurean Village Courtyard in Spring Lake. The parade-eve session runs Friday, December 4, from 5 to 8 p.m.
November 28 is the busiest day on the list. Downtown Grand Haven's shopping hours end at 6 p.m., and the Spring Lake Sparkle lighting starts at 6 p.m. on Savidge Street. You can cross the river for the lighting without leaving the shopping day early.
Spring Lake's run of events has a cause behind it. The Lakeshore reported on October 21 that Lilley Cares is behind Spring Lake Sparkle. It has partnered with the Salvation Army Grand Haven Corps to raise $10,000 for families in Spring Lake, Ferrysburg and Grand Haven, according to Executive Director Denise Kurdziel. The Salvation Army shows up in the season twice, then. It's raising money with Spring Lake's Sparkle and pouring hot chocolate at the end of the parade a week later.
One Office for August and December
With the Jingle Bell Parade added, the Coast Guard Festival's 2026 schedule now reaches into December. The weeks before it still come from Grand Haven Main Street, Duneside Events, Snug Harbor's merchants and Lilley Cares, each running its own night, and Santa keeps his Epicurean Village hours through December 19. On December 5, the floats roll from Franklin Street to Central Park under the organization Grand Haven has relied on for its summer celebration, and the tree lights up at the end of the route.
If you're putting together a float this year, or you'd just like someone to talk through which Grand Haven and Spring Lake blocks are within walking distance of the parade route and Savidge Street, I'm glad to help. Contact Capt'n Sue for a private consultation with Suzanne Bladek. I'll save you a spot on the curb.
