HELEN, Ga. — Holiday cheer filled the streets of downtown Helen Saturday night as families and visitors packed Main Street for the town’s annual Christmas Parade, one of the Alpine village’s most popular seasonal traditions.
Spectators lined the parade route well before the 6 p.m. start, many arriving hours early to secure parking and spend the day shopping, dining and enjoying the town’s holiday décor.
VIDEO Helen Christmas Parade 2025
Rochelle Taylor, who traveled to Helen with her family from south of Atlanta, said the parade exceeded her expectations.
“So wonderful. I honestly thought it was going to be a lot smaller than it was,” Taylor said. “I can’t believe how much the town has pulled together for this. It was beautiful. The kids absolutely loved it.”
Taylor said the weekend trip doubled as both a Christmas outing and a birthday celebration for her family.
“We like to try to do memories instead of gifts,” she said. “This was something grandma did so we could make memories, and it was really fun.”
Children cheered as parade participants tossed candy, stuffed animals and glow-in-the-dark items into the crowd, a gesture Taylor said made the event feel especially thoughtful and inclusive.
For some visitors, the parade came as an unexpected highlight.
David Monctomoy, who was visiting Helen with family, said he and his girlfriend stumbled onto the event shortly after arriving in town.
“We noticed people setting up chairs and asked what was going on, and they said it was a parade,” Monctomoy said. “It was amazing — great messages, great energy, great vibes. I think we need more of this in our community.”
Monctomoy, who now lives in Habersham County after growing up in Florida and metro Atlanta, said the event reflected what he appreciates most about North Georgia.
“It reminds you to slow down, say thank you and give thanks,” he said.
Oscar Huerta, who lives in Atlanta and originally is from Mexico, said his family has visited
Helen during the Christmas season before but attended the parade for the first time this year.
“It’s pretty nice,” Huerta said. “A lot of people.”
Huerta said he, his wife Sarah, and daughters Elena, 10, and Teagan, 9, planned to spend the evening exploring shops and enjoying German food before staying overnight.
Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus drew loud cheers as they made their way through downtown, delighting children and providing a festive finale to the parade.
The Christmas Parade is part of Helen’s busy holiday season, which continues to draw visitors to the mountain town throughout December.
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PHOTO GALLERY: Helen Christmas Parade 2025
