H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade canceled in downtown Houston due to weather
HOUSTON - The H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade has been canceled for a second year. This time it's due to weather.
With storms and rain moving into the Houston area, the city announced that the event was over before it was scheduled to start at 9 a.m. despite streets lined with spectators and peformers ready to go.
"While we are disappointed that we are unable to commence with the H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade, we will always err on the side of caution in order to ensure that our parade participants and patrons are safe," said Susan Christian, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Special Events and parade producer in a statement.
The Mayor’s Office of Special Events will refund the face value of purchased tickets through Etix.
Stormy start to Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving starts with rain and thunderstorms, with improving conditions by mid-afternoon. It'll be breezy, and temperatures will fall throughout the day. We'll hang onto a good amount of clouds post front, and gusty breezes that will decrease as we head into Black Friday. It'll be chilly, but dry for shopping with another round of rain Saturday afternoon and evening that should taper by Sunday morning.
Performers and organizers were rehearsing all day Wednesday, and many Houstonians were excited about this year's Grand Marshal, Houstonian Dr. Peter Hotez.
Dr. Hotez was also honored with a proclomation by Mayor Sylvester Turner declaring Nov. 25 "Dr. Peter Hotez Day."
Hotez tweeted about the honor Thursday morning, saying he dedicated it to his "amazing colleagues, healthcare professionals, staff, scientists at our Texas Medical Center and Houston and Texas.
Last year, the parade was also canceled due to the pandemic. The city instead opted for a food donation.
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The H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade is one of the oldest Thanksgiving Day parades in the country.
"This is a family tradition for 72 years, and in fact, we have people who have participated come back as volunteers," Christian told FOX 26 on Wednesday. "We also have generations of people who have made this their holiday tradition."
For more information about the parade, including the parade route, click here