Massachusetts: More Parades Than You’d Expect

New Orleans has Mardi Gras — and truth be told, probably a parade for something every other week. They’re America’s party town for sure. But Massachusetts has more parades than you might think. We’ve got the big national ones, yes, but we’ve also got some wonderfully quirky, uniquely‑ours traditions.

A Quick Roll Call of Bay State Parades

Here are the ones that come to mind without much effort:

1. First Night, Boston (New Year’s Eve)
2. St. Patrick’s Day, South Boston
3. Patriots’ Day Parade, Concord
4. Ducklings Day Parade, Boston
5. Memorial Day Parades, Every Town
6. Fishtown Horribles Parade, Gloucester
7. Fourth of July Parades, statewide
8. Carnival Parade, Provincetown
9. Haunted Happenings Parade, Salem
10. America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Parade, Plymouth
11. Christmas Eve Parade, Lynn

Championship Duck Boats: Our Modern Victory Marches

And then there are the Championship Parades — our modern‑day victory marches. The crowds gather, the duck boats roll out, and the players ride through Boston like triumphant warriors returning from battle. No chariots, but close enough.

St. Patrick’s Day: Southie’s Biggest Tradition

Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Southie is one of the oldest and largest in the country. Bagpipes, marching bands, Irish dancers, politicians shaking hands, and half the city wearing green — it’s a celebration that feels like Boston down to its bones. If you’ve never seen South Boston on March 17, you haven’t truly experienced St. Patrick’s Day.

Patriots’ Day: A Parade You Won’t Find Anywhere Else

See that Patriots’ Day Parade? That one is truly unique. Patriots’ Day is strictly a Massachusetts holiday — and some years we even get an extra day to file our federal taxes because we’re special like that.

Ducklings Day: Boston’s Sweetest Tradition

One of the sweetest parades is the Ducklings Day Parade, celebrating the Make Way for Ducklings statue. It’s traditionally held on Mother’s Day and is pure Boston charm.

Fourth of July: Cannons, Fireworks, and Local Flavor

Everyone has a Fourth of July parade, but we go one better with the concert on the Esplanade, complete with cannons and fireworks. And up in Gloucester, they celebrate with the Fishtown Horribles Parade — a wonderfully chaotic, satirical tradition where floats poke fun at political figures, local issues, and whatever else needs a good ribbing.

Provincetown Carnival: Color, Creativity, and Community

Head to the tip of Cape Cod and you’ll find Provincetown’s Carnival Parade, a joyful celebration of diversity and creativity that the town is famous for.

Salem’s Haunted Happenings: Halloween Done Right

Rounding out the unusual lineup is Salem’s Haunted Happenings Parade. Other places may have Halloween parades, but there’s no place like Salem in late October for witches, goblins, and costumed chaos.

Plymouth’s Thanksgiving Parade: History Marches On

And while America crowds around the TV to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, our own Plymouth — home of the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving — holds its America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Parade, a tradition all its own.

Take That, New Orleans

So yes, New Orleans may have Mardi Gras, and Disney may have a parade every time someone sneezes — but here in Massachusetts, we do things our own way. Who else has cannons on the Esplanade, championship duck boats rolling through Boston like returning warriors, and a parade for just about every season? Take that, New Orleans.