March of the Toys Parade

The 8th Annual March of the Toys Parade benefiting Toys for Tots will be held on Friday evening, December 1, 2023 beginning at 7 PM, in Ball Ground, Georgia. Attendees to the parade are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy for the Toys for Tots campaign. Collection boxes for the toys will be available at City Park and along the parade route on Main Street.

Cherokee High School Marching Band will lead Santa in the parade (This is the 50th year Santa has been doing events in Cherokee County, beginning at Cherokee High School!)  The Grand Marshal is former Braves pitcher, Jo-Jo Reyes.  Over 30 entries entertain the crowd during the parade with lights and candy,  Pickens County Marching Band will also be in attendance.  

After the parade, the Cosplayers gather at City Park so children can have their photos taken with their favorite fictional character. This is also the time when Santa and Mrs. Claus make their official arrival to the town. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be located on the stage at City Park for photos. Photos are absolutely free, so don’t forget to bring your camera.

The parade is one of the largest Christmas parades in North Georgia with Toys for Tots. Using unique cell phone data, it was estimated that 9,000 people attended last year’s parade. Attendees are encouraged to get to the event a little early, as road closures are scheduled to begin around 6:15pm,” said Tim Cavender, one of the coordinators of the event.

There will also be a vendor area, located on Old Dawsonville Road next to City Park, so attendees can do a little Christmas shopping and there will be food vendors to take care of your appetite, too.

“This is an awesome event that the whole family can enjoy,” added Cavender.