The city of Gainesville received more than 100 participant requests for A Very GNV Holiday Parade this year, surpassing the city’s goal on the second year of the revived tradition.  

The parade, filled with community organizations, will start at noon on Saturday and follow University Avenue from Santa Fe College’s Blount Hall to the Alachua County Public School’s Administration Building.  

After the parade, the Kids Holiday Dance Party amps up at Bo Diddley Plaza from 1 to 3 p.m., and the city of Gainesville will hold the annual Holiday Lights Celebration in the Thomas Center Gardens from 5 to 8 p.m. 

Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut said it’ll be a wonderful day to kick off the holiday season. 

“You really get to see the depth and breadth of the community because so many organizations are participating and are very excited about participating,” Chestnut said.    

The city aimed for 100 entries to keep the parade to an hour long, but they allowed a few more to get a spot this year. Commissioner Ed Book said the large entry pool shows that people are excited, and he said this parade will be even more vibrant than last year’s inaugural showing. 

In front of those entries, Shaquille O’Neal will ride as grand marshal of the parade. Chestnut said divine intervention allowed the partnership, and it’ll be a hard lineup to follow.  

The only person at the parade taller than O’Neal, at 7 feet and 1 inch, might be Book’s daughter, who will join on stilts like last year.  

Book said he’s grateful for Chestnut reviving the parade—last held in the 1990s. He said it shows the city value’s the community by hosting the event. And Chestnut said she’s pleased the community jumped on board.  

“I just get a very warm feeling,” Chestnut said. “I’m very pleased with it and just pleased that this is something that the city and the community could do working together. The event is basically sponsored by donations from the community, so it’s a parade for the community, by the community and with the community.”