HISTORY & MISSION

The Carolinas' Carrousel Parade has evolved over more than six decades as a regional tradition and highlight of the holiday season. Founded in 1947 by four local businessmen to attract holiday shoppers to downtown Charlotte, the Thanksgiving week events have become so much more. The Parade and its ancillary events are produced by an independent, volunteer, non-profit, charitable organization, Carolinas' Carrousel, Inc.

The parade has grown in size and diversity and it is the largest annual gathering of Carolinians, drawing close to 100,000 spectators each year. In 2012, the television broadcast of the parade was seen by approximately 100,000 people. Over 120 units participated in the parade, including area marching bands, floats sponsored by local organizations and corporations, step and drill teams, entertainers and other specialty units. In November 2012, US News & World Report included the Carrousel Parade on its list of America's Best Thanksgiving Day Parade.

 

In 1967, Carolinas’ Carrousel, Inc. instituted the Carrousel Scholarship Program. The program awards college scholarships to outstanding students in recognition of academic achievement and community involvement. When the program began, the top scholarship went to the high school senior girl selected as the Carrousel Queen. In 2011, the title was changed to the Carrousel Scholar to better reflect that the program acknowledges achievement and is not a beauty pageant. Scholarships are also given to outstanding marching band students.

 

Carolinas' Carrousel, Inc. is committed to enhancing the regional area's community life through quality family-oriented entertainment. The organization’s events officially announce and celebrate the beginning of the holiday season in this region. In addition, it promotes academic and artistic excellence through awards to outstanding area high school students and marching bands. Carolinas' Carrousel, Inc. also exists to offer business, industry and the local citizenry the opportunity to participate in showcasing the region and to encourage excellence in the future leaders of the area.

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Some Historic Parade Milestones:

 

1947	First "Charlotte Christmas Festival" was held in early November. Among key founders were John Belk and George Ivey. That year's twilight parade drew a crowd of 125,000.
1950	Name changed to Carolinas' Carrousel. 500,000 people watch popular cowboy star, Hopalong Cassidy lead the parade.
1952	Date changed to Thanksgiving Day so schoolchildren and workers could attend.
1954	First daylight parade.
1957	Santa's float breaks down, leaving Santa behind.
1961	Wettest Carrousel on record.
1967	Scholarship awards program was started.
1968	Twenty-seven (27) minutes of the parade were nationally broadcast on CBS. North to South route is adopted to take advantage of sunlight for television.
1981	Marching Band competition was added to the Parade format.
1982	Scholarship awards increased in Representatives Division.
1998	Scholarship awards increased in Representatives Division. Marching Band Scholarship awards added to the program.
2000	Robert L. Maddox Music Scholarship established ($2,000).
2007	Parade celebrated its 60th anniversary. Charlotte-based retailer Belk became the parade’s presenting sponsor and also brought the scholarship fund under the auspices of the Belk Foundation.
2008	For the first time, the Carolinas' Thanksgiving Day Parade started at 10 a.m. rather than in the afternoon. The earlier start time attracted a much larger television viewing audience than in past years and was deemed a huge success. Also in 2008, TravelMuse.com named the Carolinas' Thanksgiving Day Parade as the fourth largest Thanksgiving Parade in the United States. Scholarship program is renamed the Belk Carrousel Scholarship Fund.
2009	A huge balloon was included in the parade for the first time in many years. This giant turkey was designed to deflate a bit when it needed to maneuver under and around the traffic lights along Tryon Street. Unfortunately, our turkey had to nearly collapse to clear the lights at the Square on Trade & Tryon and TV viewers saw a bird bent over with his beak almost on the ground.
2010	Belk signed on as the parade's title sponsor and the parade was named the Belk Carolinas' Carrousel Parade. A new Belk float was built to showcase Belkie Bear and Santa Claus. The parade route changed to end at the Levine Center for the Performing Arts on South Tryon Street. WBTV's cameras, the Band Judges' Reviewing Stand and the VIP Seating Area were moved to that area as well.
2011	The cast of “Million Dollar Quartet,” a touring Broadway show, appeared on a float in the parade and performed a musical number for the parade spectators and TV audience.
2012	To help celebrate the 65th Anniversary of the Carrousel Parade, many past Carrousel Queens appeared on a parade float. US News & World Report included the Carrousel Parade on its list of America's Best Thanksgiving Day Parades.