Mix 96.9 and the Von Braun Center (VBC) are excited to announce details for the 12th Annual Huntsville Christmas Parade, taking place Tuesday, December 1, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in downtown Huntsville. The parade is proudly presented for a second year by Food City. 
  
Details for this year’s parade were announced during a press conference on Tuesday, September 1 at the VBC. Santa Claus, Mix 96.9 and VBC staff, sponsors and community partners gathered to officially kick-off the holiday season and reveal what’s in store for this year’s celebration. 
  
Earlier this summer, the community was invited to participate in a People’s Choice online vote to select the theme for the 2026 parade. After hundreds of votes were submitted, the winning theme was revealed as “A Rocket City Christmas.”

Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K-VA-T Food Stores (Food City’s parent company) operates 163 retail outlets (including 121 pharmacies) throughout southeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, east Tennessee, north Georgia, and Alabama.