Sarasota Christmas Parade 2012: Know Before You Go

The Sarasota Holiday Parade brings Santa Claus to town tonight when the parade kicks off at 7 p.m. on Main Street.

The parade involves street closures and parking restrictions.

Here's what you need to know:

• Parade route starts at Main Street and 301 and travels west on Main Street to Bayfront Drive
• Suggested parking is on the public State Street lot, the Evie's Parking Garage, the Hollywood 20 Parking Garage and the new and free Palm Avenue Parking Garage. 
• Your parade forecast is expected to include temperatures in the mid 60s with partly cloudy skies.  
• Bring your camera, take pictures and upload parade photos to our Pics and Clips gallery.

The staging area will shut down starting at noon and will not open until about 9 p.m. 

The staging area includes:

• Main Street from 301 to School Avenue
• School Avenue from Main Street to Fruitville Road
• Audubon Place at Fruitville Road
• Fletcher Avenue at Fruitville Road
• Wallace Avenue at Fruitville Road
• East Avenue from Fruitville Road to Ringling Blvd.

North Washington Boulevard will close at 5 p.m. from Fruitville Road to Ringling Boulevard. It is anticipated that Washington Boulevard will remain closed until approximately 9 p.m.

The parade route will be closed to traffic at 5 p.m. and expected to re-open by 10 p.m.

The parade route includes:

• Main Street from U.S. 301 to Bayfront Drive
• Gulfstream Avenue from U.S. 41 south to McAnsh Square
• McAnsh Square from Gulfstream Avenue to Pineapple Avenue

The 1600 block of Main Street will not close until 5:30 p.m. to accommodate traffic from a previously planned event “Singing Christmas Tree."

The staging area and parade route will be posted and vehicles that are parked in the posted areas will be towed.