Lisbon Christmas Parade Features Tractors, Horses And Collects Food Donations

LISBON, MD — This Saturday, the 2024 Lisbon Christmas Parade featuring tractors, horses and more will wind around town to celebrate the holidays and generate donations to help food pantries.

Now known as the Great Lisbon Farmers Feed the Hungry Christmas parade, the event will start at noon. There will be festively decorated tractors driven by local farmers, followed by up to 250 horses dressed for the holidays. The Lisbon Volunteer Fire Company, Carroll County Food Sunday and Farmers & Hunters Feeding the Hungry will be participate, too.

"We just think it's the greatest thing in the world, and people just come out if you've never been here. I'd estimate between 20,000 and 30,000 people will be up and down the street. It's like something you've never seen before," Billy Harrison, a former president of the Carroll County Farm Bureau, told WBAL.

Before and after the parade, guests can shop for the holidays at the Days End Farm Horse Rescue's Santa Village from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Reindeer rides will be available from 11 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m., and there will be a variety of kids' activities, plus photo opportunities with Santa.

Food vendors will be on hand including All Fired Up Brick Oven Pizza, Glamourview Creamery and an adult beverage provider. Guests can make s'mores and enjoy firepits.

Everyone is encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item to support Farmers Feed The Hungry. Since 2011, the parade has raised more than $195,000 and collected thousands of pounds of food to feed the local food insecure in surrounding communities. In 2023, the parade raised more than $19,000. This year's goal has been set at $25,000 minimum.

"We have raised close to $200,000 in the past 14 years. Plus, thousands upon thousands of pounds of nonperishable food items have also been donated to local food banks," Leslie Bauer, the president of the Howard County Farm Bureau, told WBAL.

To view a map of the parade route and best places to park, visit http://www.lisbonchristmaspara....

For a list of vendors, click here.