University of Tennessee costumed mascot Smokey will serve as Grand Marshal of the 47th annual WIVK Christmas Parade on Friday, Dec. 6, in downtown Knoxville.

The parade will feature marching bands, twirlers, dancers, singers, floats, local fire departments, community organizations, radio personalities, WIVICK the Frog, Santa Claus and more. For more information, visit http://www.wivk.com/2019/09/03/47th-annual-wivk-christmas-parade/.

The parade will occur rain or shine, so attendees are encouraged to dress for the weather and arrive early to find a parking space and the best location for viewing the parade. Free evening and weekend parking is available at all City-owned garages, as well as the Dwight Kessel Garage.

The parade steps off at 6:45 p.m. from Howard Baker Jr. Avenue and follows a route west to Church Street and north on Gay Street, concluding at the intersection of Magnolia Avenue. Due to the current closure of the Jackson Avenue ramps, the parade will cross the Gay Street Bridge, closing the metered parking spots there but making the bridge available as a viewing location.

These temporary no-parking zones and road closures will be in effect Friday:

• Parking on Gay Street between Magnolia and Cumberland avenues will be prohibited 4-8:30 p.m.

• Parking on Market Street between Union and Church avenues and Union Avenue between Walnut and Gay streets will be prohibited starting at 4 p.m. The roads will be closed to traffic 6:15-8:30 p.m.
• Eastbound lanes of Howard Baker Jr. Avenue between Hill Avenue and Hall of Fame Drive will be closed 4:30-8:30 p.m. Friday.

• Roads on the parade route close at 6:15 p.m. and reopen at 8:30 p.m.

The WIVK Christmas Parade is part of the City of Knoxville’s Christmas in the City, an assortment of festive events, performances and opportunities to treat yourself in downtown Knoxville through Jan. 5, 2020.

Christmas in the City includes the Holidays on Ice open-air skating rink on Market Square, the Elf on the Shelf Adventure scavenger hunt, and the Peppermint Trail.

Additional info is available at KnoxvilleTN.gov/Christmas.