When Did We Start Having Parades?
Parades are a curious phenomenon: We gather en masse to march through a space with music, costumes, and elaborate displays. But even at their most odd, these festive demonstrations also feel universal — most likely because they represent a tradition that spans continents and centuries.
Before there were parades, there were processions. These were ceremonial or ritualistic events that anthropologists believe predated parades as a way to connect with community — and with the divine. Their roots stretch back to ancient civilizations: In Mesopotamia, as early as 2900 BCE, priests and citizens marched with statues of deities such as the Babylonian god Marduk during the multiday Akitu celebrations for the new year.
The Panathenaic festival, held in Athens to honor the goddess Athena, similarly featured a grand procession to the Acropolis, where offerings and sacrifices were made. These events were spiritual and social, but they were not yet parades as we know them. As author Doug Matthews explains in his book Why We Love Parades: Their History and Enduring Appeal, there is an important difference: A procession has deeper significance behind the occasion, while a parade, though often organized around an occasion, is primarily about the content of the event for the enjoyment of spectators.
You may also like
More from our network
The word “parade” itself comes from a mid-17th-century French term meaning “pompous show.” That’s a fitting definition, given that if one ancient civilization can be credited with originating the modern-day parade, it’s the Romans. Their notorious penchant for spectacle meant processions became grandiose displays of power known as triumphs.
The Roman triumph celebrated military victories; generals were paraded through the streets of Rome in horse-drawn chariots accompanied by soldiers and captives, sometimes acting out battle scenes. While the parades were as much about propaganda as spectacle, they were also celebratory; the streets were filled with music, waving flags, cheering crowds, and a theatricality that set the template for parades to come.
During the Middle Ages, processions for Christian holy days were prominent and began to incorporate theatrical elements including pageantry and dramatized biblical scenes set against movable scenery. This period also saw the emergence of pre-Lent Carnival parades; communal joy was a central fixture, as were the masks, costumes, music, and dancing that laid the groundwork for the diverse and exuberant Carnival parades around the world today.
By the 18th century, parades had taken on an even more festive form and a now-familiar symbol had become more common: the float. In the U.K., the annual Lord Mayor’s Show became an elaborate parade through the streets of London; some believe the term “float” to have originated here, describing the decorated floating barges that were towed along canals.
Parades began making their way to Americans in this century, too: In the 1760s, with the American colonies still under British rule, Irish soldiers stationed in New York City with the British army began the tradition of marching in St. Patrick’s Day parades. And in 1788, a series of marches through the streets of New York, Philadelphia, and other cities took place to celebrate the newly ratified U.S. Constitution.
Soon, parades became a staple of American public life. Fourth of July celebrations, observances of George Washington’s birthday, and local milestones around the country — especially in its burgeoning urban centers — brought communities together in a unifying expression of American culture and civic pride. By the turn of the 20th century, parades had become both institutionalized and commercialized. Local governments formalized annual parades for national holidays, while at the same time, businesses recognized parades as powerful marketing opportunities. Nowhere was this better embodied than the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, launched in 1924 as a Christmas parade with elaborate floats and live animals that were meant to advertise the New York City store.
Today, some of the biggest parades in the world are not only joyful spectacles, but also platforms for social movements. Since the first Pride marches took place in 1970, they’ve gone on to become massive global celebrations of the LGBTQ+ community, underlining how parades remain a vital piece of cultural expression, tradition, identity, and joy.
