A gift to Dallas
In 1987, The Adolphus and Children's Medical Center Dallas each reached historic milestones by celebrating 75th anniversaries. The Adolphus had prospered to become an internationally acclaimed hotel, and Children's Medical Center Dallas had become one of the premier pediatric hospitals in the United States. In search of an appropriate way to celebrate the holidays and their 75th anniversaries, the hotel proposed the idea of a parade to Children's Medical Center Dallas. The parade would kick-off the holiday season for the city, and bring families to downtown Dallas.
An instant winner
On December 3, 1988, the first parade was produced by employees from The Adolphus and Children's Medical Center Dallas and enjoyed by a crowd of 70,000 enthusiastic children and their family members. The event became known as the "Miracle on Commerce Street."
The parade continues to grow
The parade grew quickly. In 1993, international retailer Neiman Marcus signed on as the title sponsor. In 2008, after 15 years, Neiman Marcus retired as the title sponsor of the parade. Their wonderful partnership and support of the parade over the years helped drive this Christmas parade to the level it is today.
Today
The Dallas Holiday Parade is the City’s largest one-day, outdoor event. More than 350 television stations in 159 markets have syndicated the parade. It has become a holiday tradition for thousands of families throughout North Texas and coast to coast.
