Celebration of Lights (formerly Parade of Lights)

About Celebration of Lights (formerly Parade of Lights)

Downtown Helena's holiday kickoff has run under two names. Through 2024 it was the Parade of Lights; in 2024 Ten Mile Creek Brewery hosted it as a reverse parade with an Oro y Plata theme, where visitors strolled past lit floats parked on the Walking Mall and picked up light-up bracelets from Point S Tires. In 2025 it was renamed the Celebration of Lights and held Friday, November 28, from 5 to 8 p.m., with lit booths and floats along the Walking Mall, dance company and cheer group performances at Anchor Park at 5:30 p.m., and the lighting of the downtown fire tower at 6 p.m. Slate Electrical was the 2025 sponsor.

The event is free and takes place on the Last Chance Gulch Walking Mall around Anchor Park, below the historic fire tower. It has been held the Friday after Thanksgiving in each of the last two years (November 29, 2024 and November 28, 2025), and the 2023 Parade of Lights was also in late November. A 2026 date had not been announced as of early September 2026; the Friday after Thanksgiving falls on November 27, 2026. Expect below-freezing temperatures after dark, so dress for standing outside for an hour or more. Reeder's Alley, at the south end of Last Chance Gulch, has lit its Christmas Market the same evening in recent years.

What happens

• Lit floats and booths lined up along the Walking Mall, so you walk the parade instead of watching it drive by
• Fire tower lighting at 6 p.m. at Anchor Park (2025 schedule)
• Dance company and cheer group performances at Anchor Park at 5:30 p.m. (2025)
• Light-up bracelets handed out to attendees in 2024, sponsored by Point S Tires
• Downtown shops open for the evening

Tips

• The Walking Mall is pedestrian-only; park on the streets or in lots off Last Chance Gulch and walk in.
• Arrive before 5:30 p.m. if you want a spot near Anchor Park for the performances and the 6 p.m. tower lighting.
• It is late November in Helena; bring hats, gloves and a thermos.
• Check downtownhelena.com or the Visit Helena calendar in November for the confirmed date, since the name and host have changed in recent years.