Annual Holiday Parade and Santa Shuffle set for Dec. 3: Road closures and where to park

    Santa and Mrs. Claus are always a hit at the annual Holiday Parade.

    MANCHESTER, NH  –The City of Manchester will host its annual holiday parade and Santa Shuffle 5k on Saturday December 3, 2022.

    The Shuffle is slated to kick off at 3 p.m. and it is expected to draw 2,000 participants. Immediately following the Shuffle, the city will host its annual Christmas Parade. The parade is expected to draw between 3,000-10,000 spectators and will kick-off around 4 p.m.

    Race Day Parking: Available at all public Manchester City Parking locations. There is no parking on Elm Street.

    • Elm Street will be shut down from Clarke to Granite streets for the duration of the two events.  
    • Pleasant Street from Elm to Franklin streets will be closed starting at 10 a.m. for pre-race  events. 
    • Elm Street will shut down from Granite to Merrimack streets at 1 p.m. for the race setup. 
    • The MTA bus stop in front of Veteran’s Park will be temporarily moved to the south side of Lake Avenue adjacent to the SNHU Arena. 

    The two routes are as follows: 

    Race Route 

    Starts on Elm Street in the area of Pleasant Street

    North on Elm to Clarke streets 

    West on Clarke to Everett streets

    South on Everett Street to Waldo Street

    East on Waldo Street to Elm Street 

    South on Elm Street 

    Finish on Elm Street in area of Pleasant Street 

    Parade Route 

    Starts at Brady Sullivan Building (Amoskeag Bridge/Salmon Street) 

    South on Elm Street  

    Disbands in front of Veteran’s Park. 

    Floats south on Elm Street to Granite Street

    Walkers east on Central Street


    “I am looking forward to joining all of our participants at this year’s Holiday Parade,” said Alderman Bill Barry. “I want to thank our great city for coordinating this event and I am hoping that it will be even more successful than last year. This will give Manchester’s families a chance to get out and enjoy a day of joy.”

    How many Santa Shufflers will Show up this year? Image/Millennium Running

    “The Holiday Parade is an opportunity for Manchester to attract visitors from outside the area who might consider moving here or starting a business in our great City,” said Jodie Nazaka, Director of the Manchester Economic Development Office. “We look forward to kicking off the holiday season with a boost of economic energy in our downtown.”

    For more information on the BASC Santa Claus Shuffle or to register, click here.