Basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal has been selected as the grand marshal of the city of Gainesville’s 2024 A Very GNV Holiday Parade.
O’Neal earned international fame as a basketball player while winning four National Basketball Association (NBA) championships, an Olympic gold medal in 1996 and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. O’Neal is also a businessman and media personality, where he’s currently a sports analyst on the TV program “Inside the NBA.”
In 2016, O’Neal also made a surprise visit to Gainesville when he played street basketball with a group of neighborhood children alongside Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officer Bobby White.
O’Neal, a former Louisiana State University (LSU) player from 1989-92 who faced the Florida Gators, now has a daughter, 6-foot-4 freshman guard/forward Me’Arah O’Neal, who is playing for UF.
“It’s always good to be in Gainesville,” said O’Neal in a press release. “The street game with those kids really stuck with me. It’s all about building friendships and bringing people together. I’m happy to come back, see old friends, and help the City of Gainesville bring holiday cheer with a community parade.”
According to a city of Gainesville press release, the parade is a new tradition for the city and was introduced in 2023 and championed by Gainesville Mayor Pro Tem Cynthia Moore Chestnut.
“We were overwhelmed by the community response last year,” said Chestnut in the press release. “It exceeded all expectations. One of our biggest challenges for year two was finding a grand marshal to bring as much fun and excitement as Steve Spurrier, and with Shaquille O’Neal I believe we have succeeded.”
The event is billed as a “celebration by the community, for the community,” the event is mostly funded by local sponsors. Participation is free, and registration for participants in the procession remains open through Oct. 25. Last year’s inaugural parade drew an estimated 5,000 spectators and participants.
A Very GNV Holiday Parade is slated for Saturday, Dec. 7 with the procession to start at noon, moving from W. University Avenue and 6th Street and traveling approximately one mile, to end at the Alachua County Public Schools Administration Building at 620 E. University Ave.
The parade is the kickoff to multiple city events that will usher in the holiday season on Dec. 7, including afternoon activities at Bo Diddley Plaza followed by the annual Holiday Lights Celebration in the Thomas Center Gardens.
The parade registration form, parade rules and additional details can be found online or picked up at City Hall (200 E. University Ave.) or the Historic Thomas Center (302 NE 6th St.). For more information, visit the 2024 holiday parade webpage.