Seattle holiday parade to close downtown streets, I-5 exit
Nov 23, 2012, 7:56 AM | Updated: 9:07 am
Macy's holiday parade takes over the central park of downtown Seattle this morning. (Photo: DowntownHolidays.com)
(Photo: DowntownHolidays.com)
Macy’s holiday parade takes over the central park of downtown Seattle Friday morning.
People coming downtown for the parade or to begin their holiday shopping should know that the Union St. exit off I-5 southbound is closed Friday morning.
KING-TV reports the parade began at 9 a.m. at Seventh Avenue and Pine Street. It will travel west down Pine Street to 5th Avenue, south on 5th Avenue to University Street, west on University to 4th Avenue, and then north on 4th to Macy’s.
Evening Magazine’s Jim Dever says Santa will be at Macy’s to greet parade-goers. He says he’ll try to talk to Santa, but the man dressed in red tends to avoid Dever.
“This year, I will report, he is pleasantly plump,” Dever said, in reference to a thinner Santa at the parade in 2001.
If you miss Friday morning’s parade, the tree lighting ceremony outside Westlake Center begins at 7:00 p.m.
It’s the first time in 24 years Seattle is using a fake tree and it’s causing a bit of controversy. Some believe the switch was made for environmental reasons, but Westlake Center has released no official statement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
