YaJagoff! Holiday Parade Is Fake, But The Fun Is Real

ROSS TOWNSHIP, PA — Bigger and better than ever, Pittsburgh's Not Your Average Holiday Parade, YaJagoff! is returning for a fourth year at The Block Northway. Once again, the KDKA-AM YaJagoff! team of Rachael Rennebeck and John Chamberlin are the creative forces behind the increasingly popular holiday event.

The "parade," stationed in the upper-level parking lot outside the Block Northway's main entrance, will occur Nov. 30 at 10 a.m. Among the Pittsburgh-themed festivities this year will be four mock holiday windows themed by Pittsburgh nonprofits.

The event began in 2021, when the pandemic forced the cancellation of the traditional Downtown Pittsburgh holiday parade.

“With the downtown parade canceled, we wanted to keep the tradition alive," Chamberlin said.

"So we rallied Pittsburgh personalities, businesses, and community groups, and organized a ‘fake’ parade in a North Side parking lot. On a rainy Saturday morning, we drove slowly around the lot, stopping to ‘review’ safely-distanced participants while live-streaming on Facebook. And just like that, a new holiday tradition was born."

Now a beloved Yinzer-style tradition, the “fake” parade grows each year. This year, the apprentices at the Carpenter’s Union Local 432 created shadow boxes to resemble holiday windows and four nonprofits will unveil their creations on parade day.

In addition, Kelly and Elista from Star 100.7-FM will serve as event correspondents—Pittsburgh’s very own Hoda and Savannah—while the YaJagoff! team narrates from the back of a Rohrich Automotive Toyota pick-up truck.

Spectators can look forward to appearances by the Pirate Parrot and the Pierogies, a race kart from Three Rivers Karting, and bread art by Nick Mancini of Mancini’s Bakery. Other attractions include pizza dough acrobatics by Matt Hickey from Caliente Pizza, holiday songs from KDKA-TV meteorologist Mary Ours, Kidsburgh activities, and visits from Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop, Pittsburgh Dumplingz and even a Pub on Wheels, which will host a karaoke station.

Santa Claus will wrap up the parade before entering The Block Northway for photos. Attendees can capture a Santa selfie with donations benefiting the Pittsburgh Emergency Medicine Foundation.