Augusta's 2026 Christmas parade and Light Up Spectacular dates are not set. In 2025 the tree lit at 6 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Augusta Common. City: 311.

Last checked Oct. 6, 2026. This page is updated each year. The 2026 dates have not been announced; this guide describes the 2025 events from the city’s calendar and WRDW’s report, so you know what to expect. We will add the 2026 dates, route and road closures as soon as the organizers post them.

Augusta’s Christmas season downtown has two city events: the Augusta Christmas Parade and the Light Up Spectacular, the city’s tree lighting with fireworks at the Augusta Common. The parade is organized by the city, the Augusta Downtown Development Authority and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Augusta, and it raises money for the Ronald McDonald House.

Who to call

  • City events: Augusta 311, dial 3-1-1 or 706-821-2300, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays
  • Road closures on the day: Augusta Traffic Engineering, 706-821-1850
  • Parade beneficiary and co-organizer: Ronald McDonald House Charities of Augusta

What happened in 2025

Event Date Time Place
Augusta Christmas Parade Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025 1 p.m. Downtown Augusta; canceled for weather
Light Up Spectacular festivities Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025 From 4 p.m. Augusta Common
Tree lighting and fireworks Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025 6 p.m. Augusta Common

The 2025 parade was canceled for weather on the day. Organizers told WRDW that they do not reschedule it, because other holiday events fill the following weeks, and that the $150 entry fee was not refunded because it counts as a donation to the Ronald McDonald House. The Light Up Spectacular was moved to Dec. 13.

At the Light Up Spectacular, the city’s calendar listing promised family festivities on the Augusta Common from 4 p.m., leading up to the lighting of the city’s Christmas tree and a fireworks show at 6 p.m.

If you want to be in the parade

In 2025 each parade unit paid a $150 entry fee, which organizers treat as a donation to the Ronald McDonald House. The 2026 entry details are not posted yet; watch rmhcaugusta.org and the city’s news page.

Getting there

Both events are downtown, where the city is rebuilding Broad Street and its cross streets. Check our road construction page in the week before, and our getting around Augusta guide for downtown parking rules.

What this means for you

  • The 2026 dates are not set yet; this page will carry them as soon as they are.
  • Rain can cancel the parade for the year, so check the morning of.
  • The tree lighting and fireworks are an early-evening event at the Augusta Common.

Related: things to do this month.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Augusta Christmas parade in 2026?

The date has not been announced. The 2025 parade was set for 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, downtown, but it was canceled for weather and not rescheduled.

When is the Augusta Christmas tree lighting?

The 2026 date is not set. In 2025 the city’s Light Up Spectacular ran from 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, at the Augusta Common, with the tree lighting and fireworks at 6 p.m.

Who organizes the Augusta Christmas parade?

The city of Augusta, the Augusta Downtown Development Authority and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Augusta organize it together. In 2025 the entry fee for a parade unit was $150, treated as a donation to the Ronald McDonald House.

Is the Augusta Christmas parade rescheduled if it rains?

Not in 2025. When weather canceled the parade, organizers said they do not reschedule it because of other holiday events through the following month.