Sanford's Christmas Parade Has a New Route This Year: Where to Watch, Eat, and Celebrate Downtown

The roundabouts NCDOT has planned for Carthage Street are still just a plan, and they have already changed what the City of Sanford calls the city's premier holiday tradition. On Monday, December 7, the Sanford Christmas Parade will follow a new route. Downtown Sanford, Inc. designed it to stay clear of the road work planned for the western end of downtown.

The new loop goes past the historic Depot and adds a performance stop in front of Temple Theatre, where Santa's big moment now happens. If you've watched the parade from the same curb for years, the best spot to stand and the best time to arrive may be different this year.

Why a planned road project moved the parade

Sanford City Council approved DSI's request for new street closures at its September 1, 2026, meeting. The City of Sanford's announcement of the new parade route explains why. NCDOT is planning big changes to Carthage Street between Wicker Street and Fire Tower Road. Those include sidewalks, bike lanes, concrete medians, pedestrian crosswalks, and roundabouts at the Wicker Street, Fields Drive, and Fire Tower Road intersections.

DSI decided to change the route ahead of time rather than wait to see how construction might affect parade night. In its closure request, DSI executive director Kelli Laudate wrote that the new closures let DSI set up "a route and staging plan that safely and efficiently accommodates participants, spectators, downtown businesses, and changing traffic patterns," according to the City's notice. The Rant also reported on the change the day the City announced it.

That planning set up everything else that's new this year. A route built to avoid the west end of downtown naturally tilts the parade toward the Depot, Moore Street, and the theater district.

The 2026 route, street by street

The approved closures make the parade a loop that starts and ends in the same place:

1. Start at Steele Street and Carthage Street
2. Head west on Carthage Street to Vance Street
3. Cross over to Wicker Street
4. Travel east to Moore Street
5. Finish back at Steele Street

The City has posted a route map if you want to see it on the street grid. Along the way, the parade passes the Visit Sanford Welcome Center, which now sits in the historic Depot building. Visit Sanford executive director Wendy Bryan told the City that "the proposed Moore Street segment and a complementary Depot Park activation will deliver a vibrant, memorable event that drives tourism and community pride."

CBS 17 reports that you can still watch from the traditional viewing areas along the route. This year there's also an extra designated viewing area on Carthage Street. For parking details and route updates as the date gets closer, the parade announcement points to Downtown Sanford's Facebook and Instagram pages.

Temple Theatre becomes the stage

The biggest change you'll see is a new performance zone in front of the historic Temple Theatre. Parade groups will perform there with the theater behind them. In the same CBS 17 announcement, Laudate called the theater "our crown jewel" and described "the lights, the music, the dancers, and all that Christmas magic happening right in front of that beautiful theatre."

Santa's moment happens there as well. He'll be the last entry in the parade, and he'll stop in front of Temple Theatre to give the First Gift of Christmas to one child. If your family comes mainly for Santa, plan your viewing spot around the theater at 120 Carthage Street.

The 2026 parade is limited to 80 entries chosen by a committee. Floats, marching bands, dancers, and community groups were judged on creativity, holiday spirit, and what they add to the parade overall. At the front, CBS 17 reports, will be grand marshal Faye Schulz, owner of Mrs. Lacy's Magnolia House and a community advocate.

Plan the evening around the Depot

The new route also changes how the evening starts. The celebration begins two hours before the first float, at Depot Park, with the Sanford Golden Ticket Pre-Parade Party. Visit Sanford and the City of Sanford Parks Department are hosting it.

This is the first year the parade will air live on CBS 17. The station bills it as North Carolina's longest-running nighttime Christmas parade. Admission is free. If a relative can't make it downtown on a Monday night, the Christmas Day encores give them another chance to see it.

The Reindeer Hubs are back. They're spots along the route where families can get food, holiday treats, and restrooms during the evening. This year's locations are:

• Depot Park
• Habitat for Humanity
• Wana Navu Kava Bar
• Carthage Street Parking Lot
• S. Steele Street Block

Depot Park is on that list and is also hosting the pre-party, so it's a natural home base for families with young children. You can arrive at 4:30, stay near a hub with restrooms, and still be close to the Moore Street stretch of the route.

Where to eat before the floats roll

The parade announcement encourages families to arrive early and have dinner or a treat downtown. Most of these restaurants and cafes sit right on the parade route. The rest are a short walk away in downtown, so you can eat and get to your spot without moving the car.

On Wicker Street, the stretch the parade uses between Vance and Moore:

• Family Grounds Coffee Co., 133 Wicker St.
• Sandra's Bakery, 225 Wicker St.
• Hugger Mugger Brewing, 229 Wicker St., where beer is brewed on site
• Millie's Mama Bakes, 233 Wicker St., which posts a weekly menu

On Steele Street, near the start and finish:

• Smoke and Barrel, 120 S Steele St.
• Ichiban Bistro, 133 South Steele Street, with dine-in and takeout
• Local Joe's, 135 S Steele St.

On Carthage and Moore streets, plus one stop on Chatham:

• La Dolce Vita Pizzeria, 226 Carthage St., which takes online orders
• Mrs. Lacy's Magnolia House, 405 Carthage St., the grand marshal's own business, open Tuesday through Saturday
• Wedgies, 120 S Moore St., announced in May 2026 for the former Java Express space beside Sanford Antique Mall
• The Liberation, 139 Chatham St., serving desserts, cocktails, and small plates

December 7 is a Monday, and Mrs. Lacy's Magnolia House is open Tuesday through Saturday. If you want to support the grand marshal's business, plan a visit for another day that week. Wedgies sits on Moore Street, the segment Visit Sanford's Wendy Bryan singled out in the City's notice.

The rest of the season downtown

The parade is the busiest night of the season, but downtown has holiday events on the calendar from late November until a few days before Christmas. Several are at the same places the parade route now highlights.

Sunday with Santa at Depot Park includes live music, Santa visits, a tree lighting, children's activities, and rides. Temple Theatre's White Christmas opens four days before the parade, so the theater's run will already be underway when the performance zone gathers out front. For families who want to make the most of the season, the Depot and the theater are the two places to keep coming back to this year.

At Destiny Real Estate, we love seeing Sanford's traditions grow and change with the town, and we're glad to share this one. If your family is new to the area or hosting relatives this December, Contact Us. We're happy to help you find your way around downtown and connect you with the people and places that make Sanford feel like home.