WRAL To Provide Live Coverage of Raleigh Christmas Parade

WRAL-TV will broadcast the 59th Annual Raleigh Christmas Parade on Saturday, November 22, 2003, from 10am – noon, live. Hometown singing sensation Clay Aiken will serve as grand marshal.

About 100,000 people are expected to line the streets of the 1½-mile route through downtown, with another 100,000 watching from home on WRAL-TV5 and WRAL-DT. WRAL Anchors Bill Leslie, Laurie Clowers & Mark Roberts will host the two-hour live broadcast.

The parade has approximately 125 entries, including floats, bands, twirlers, dancers and more marching the route, and in Raleigh tradition Santa Claus will make his first public appearance this holiday season at the end of the line.

The parade route starts at the corner of Hillsborough and St. Mary’s Street, traveling east on Hillsborough Street, winding south at the Capitol on Salisbury Street and ending at the Raleigh Convention & Conference Center.

WRAL’s parade coverage will also kick off the station’s annual Coats for the Children campaign. WRAL-TV will collect winter coats until December 31st.