Richmond's Christmas Parade has a new grand marshal this year, and he's got four legs and a wagging tail. Panda Panda!, a pit bull mix from Richmond Animal Care and Control, was selected to lead the 2026 Dominion Energy Richmond Christmas Parade on Saturday, Dec. 5.
According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Panda Panda! is described as a 1-year-old pit bull mix, though WTVR describes him as a 1-year-old pup who was found sick and struggling before his rescue.
The dog overcame illness before being chosen for his new role, the paper reports.
Panda Panda!'s Parade Role
Panda Panda! will lead the parade.
Richmond Animal Care and Control is also planning a special adoption event at a Lowe's on Broad Street.
Route and Timing Details Still in Flux
WTVR says festivities begin at 10 a.m. and places the parade's start at 10th and Marshall streets; Axios also identifies 10th and Marshall as the starting point and lists a 10:15 a.m. start. The parade's own site, run by the Dominion Energy Christmas Parade, notes that its full 2026 lineup is still coming soon and asks visitors to check back in mid-November.
What multiple accounts agree on is the destination: the parade passes Children's Hospital of Richmond before turning onto Broad Street and continuing west through downtown Richmond to Allen Avenue, where it ends. This marks a change from past years, when the parade began at the Science Museum of Virginia rather than at the hospital.
Why the Parade Is Rerouting Past the Hospital
The route change allows people inside Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU to participate in the festivities directly, rather than simply watching from afar. Elias Neujahr, president of Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU, said the parade's visit last year created unforgettable memories for patients and families, and that bringing the parade to CHoR is an extraordinary gift.
The shift builds on a change first introduced in 2025, when the parade added a section called ColonialWebb Cares: The Road to CHoR that traveled past the hospital, according to RVAHub. At the time, Neujahr said bringing the tradition to patients and families sends a message that the community is behind them.
As Axios Richmond reported this past summer, the 2026 parade reverses its longtime course entirely: instead of starting at the Science Museum of Virginia near the Fan, the parade will now end there, giving hospital patients and their families the first, and usually best, view of the procession.
A Richmond Tradition Going Back Decades
The Richmond Christmas Parade has roots stretching back to the 1950s, when it was known as the Thalhimers' Toy Parade through 1974, per Axios Richmond's reporting. These days, the event typically draws more than 100,000 spectators each year, according to the parade's official site.
This year's parade will feature floats, giant helium balloons, marching bands and Legendary Santa. The event will be broadcast live on WTVR CBS 6 for those who can't make it downtown.
