Parade of Bands Set to Return to Winter Park This Year
The local football bowl tradition had stopped in recent years because of the College Football Playoff expansion and network-controlled start times. But now officials are trying a new solution
Oct. 26, 2026
By Gabrielle Russon
A beloved Winter Park tradition is returning this holiday season after a two-year absence.
Mark your calendars. The Parade of Bands will march down Park Avenue at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 28, ending with a pep rally in Central Park.
“We are back in the saddle again,” said Johnny Miller, Winter Park’s special events manager. “We’re very excited and very happy to bring back the Parade of Bands.”
The parade was a casualty in 2024 and 2025 because of the College Football Playoff expansion, TV network-controlled start times and an earlier Pop-Tarts Bowl kickoff. That made it tough to bring the two competing university bands to Winter Park before the game. Students ate lunch in Winter Park after the parade and had to reach the stadium on time. Their schedules were packed with other pep rallies, alumni events and other duties.
The logistical issues axed the popular parade, though officials at Florida Citrus Sports said they hoped it would return.
Florida State University drummers took part in a recent Parade of Bands before the event was canceled two years ago. (Photos courtesy of the city of Winter Park.)
This year’s comeback comes with a new solution. For the first time in the parade’s nearly 20-year history, it won’t be held on game day. The parade will be held the day before the Pop-Tarts Bowl kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 29 at Camping World Stadium.
“We were able to rearrange the schedule and find a spot for it in the afternoon the day before the game to make sure we could host it and bring it back,” said Florida Citrus Sports spokesman Sam Gardner.
That means the bands won’t be as rushed, Miller said.
“The bands can spend a little more time with us and maybe we have a little bit longer of an opportunity to enjoy them,” he said.
Meanwhile, the parade route will remain the same.
Paul Canchester, a retiree from the Chicago suburbs who visits family in Florida every Christmas, called the parade’s return “great news.” Seeing the parade turned into an annual tradition for Canchester who remembered bringing his children to Winter Park since they were young years ago.
“It’s so fun to watch the bands march up Park Avenue and to hear each band play and then to hear them collaborate together at the end,” Canchester said Monday.
The parade comes at a time when many Central Florida governments are scaling back or reconsidering their festive events under an ongoing statewide debate about taxpayer spending and the threat of Amendment 3 which would cut local property tax revenue. For instance, Altamonte Springs canceled next year’s “Red Hot & Boom” July 4 fireworks because of the costs
Dressed in its holiday lights, Winter Park has always been transformed when the two bands march down Park Avenue, making the city, eight miles from Camping World Stadium, feel like the epicenter of Orlando’s bowl game – at least for an hour. Traffic shut down, and people watched the baton twirlers, tuba players and drummers perform down the street. The parade watchers were customers lunching at outdoor restaurant seating on Park Avenue, plenty of families and loyal sports fans cheering on their schools.
There were no floats, candy-throwing, politicians or firetrucks. Just music. Throw in the mascots and cheerleaders too.
“It’s all about the band,” Miller said. “It’s nice to be able to highlight and let them have their time to shine other than at halftime of a football game.”
The parade’s weekday date this year also means visitors can ride the SunRail which would ease parking challenges, Miller added.
Winter Park won’t know which two teams are playing until the matchup is set in early December.
Teams with big Central Florida fan bases, like Miami, Florida State or Clemson, could draw even bigger crowds in addition to the locals at the Parade of Bands.
Miller also hopes the parade expands next year to include the two bands in town for the other bowl game, the Citrus Bowl.
“That’s a year away,” he said. “We’ll see what happens with that.”
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