Christmas City of the North Parade 2018

The Christmas City of the North Parade has been an annual holiday tradition in Duluth since roughly 1960. It features marching bands, dance performances, colorful floats and an appearance by Santa Claus. The parade utilizes 13 blocks of Superior Street, from Ninth Avenue East to Fourth Avenue West.

The parade is broadcast live on KBJR-TV channel 6.1 and online at kbjr6.com.

Parade units will begin lining up at 4 p.m. along London Road between 10th and 14th avenues east, and buses will be staging on the upper side of London Road from 14th to 17th avenues east.

The parade will move from the set-up area on London Road to Superior Street, where it will start at Ninth Avenue East. The parade will continue west on Superior Street to Fourth Avenue West, where parade units will disperse. Marching bands and dance groups will exit the parade route down Fourth Avenue West to buses waiting on Michigan Street. Floats will dismantle in the 400 block of West Superior Street and exit the area on Fifth Avenue West.

At 4 p.m. London Road will close to vehicle traffic from 10th to 14th avenues east for parade lineup. Sections of 12th and 13th avenues east and the 1300 block of Jefferson Street will close for parade lineup.

Superior Street from 12th Avenue East to Fifth Avenue West will close to vehicle traffic at 5:45 p.m. Michigan Street will close at 6:15 p.m. to traffic, except for buses and local residents. Access to Michigan Street parking ramps will be allowed, but could be limited, after 6:15 p.m. Vehicles exiting Michigan Street lots and ramps during the closures will be directed to exit the area by driving south to the 5th Avenue West Off-Ramp.

Motorists should be aware of no-parking areas in Downtown Duluth and along London Road. Parking violators will be tagged and towed. There will be no parking after 10 a.m at select meters in front of Pickwick Restaurant and no parking after noon at meters on the upper side of Superior Street near Fitger’s.

There will be no parking after 3 p.m. on both sides of London Road from 10th to 14th avenues east, the upper side of London Road from 14th to 17th avenues east, 12th and 13th avenues east from London Road to Superior Street, Jefferson Street from 13th to 14th avenues east, and the Rose Garden parking lot.

There will be no parking after 4 p.m. on Michigan Street from Fifth to Fourth avenues west.

There will be no parking after 5 p.m. on Superior Street from 10th Avenue East to Fifth Avenue West.

DTA buses will use First Street for westbound routes and Second Street for eastbound routes.

Jefferson Line Buses will be allowed to access the Duluth Transportation Center on Michigan Street to load and unload passengers.

Eastbound Superior Street traffic will be detoured at Sixth Avenue West to eastbound Second Street. Westbound Superior Street traffic will be detoured from London Road at 14th Avenue East and from Superior Street at 12th Avenue East to westbound First Street. Tenth Avenue East will close to traffic from First Street to Superior Street.

Lake Avenue will close between First Street and the I-35 ramps on the Lake Avenue viaduct. All I-35 ramps at Lake Avenue will remain open during the parade, but will only be accessible from the Canal Park side.

Access to Canal Park, Park Point and the DECC will be via southbound Fifth Avenue West to Railroad Street. All I-35 ramps at Fifth Avenue West will remain open.

Free parking is available downtown after 5 p.m. in ramps at Fourth Avenue Auto Park, Duluth Transportation Center, Fitger’s Brewery Complex, Duluth Technology Village, Medical District Ramp, Phoenix Parking Lot, St. Luke’s Hospital Ramp, St. Luke’s Employee Parking Lot, Civic Center Ramp and US Bank ramp. Cars must exit the ramps before midnight to avoid a fee.

Parking meters will be free of charge after 5:30 p.m.

Drivers are urged to use caution in the area of this event. Downtown traffic should return to normal by approximately 8:30 p.m.

For more information call Greater Downtown Council President Kristi Stokes at 218-727-8549.