Raleigh, NC –October 31, 2024 – The ABC11 Crossroads Ford Apex Raleigh Christmas Parade by Shop Local Raleigh, is thrilled to announce renowned musician and Grammy-nominated artist Marcus King as the Grand Marshal for its 80th annual celebration. Known for his soulful voice, guitar prowess infused guitar skills, and powerful storytelling, King will serve as the Grand Marshal for the much-anticipated parade through downtown Raleigh on Saturday, November 23, 2024.
The milestone 80th parade is set to bring together community members and visitors from across the region for a festive kickoff to the holiday season. As Grand Marshal, King joins an illustrious list of previous honorees and will help celebrate the resilience and growth of Raleigh’s holiday traditions.
“We are honored to have Marcus King as our Grand Marshal this year,” said Jennifer Martin, Executive Director, Shop Local Raleigh. “His deep-rooted Southern musical heritage, dedication to the arts, his passion for local venues such as Red Hat Amphitheatre- where he proposed to his bride Briley King, all make him a wonderful representative for our community as we come together to celebrate this special occasion.”
The Raleigh Christmas Parade, one of the largest and longest-running parades in the Southeast, will feature a stunning lineup of floats, marching bands, dance performances, and local businesses in celebration of the holiday season. Hosted by Shop Local Raleigh, the parade highlights the importance of supporting local businesses and fosters community spirit.
The event begins at 9:30 a.m. and will be broadcast live on ABC11 and streaming on HULU for those unable to attend in person. The parade route will follow its traditional path through downtown Raleigh, allowing thousands of attendees to line the streets and celebrate this cherished holiday tradition.
About Marcus King:
Marcus King BoilerMarcus King faces heartache, addiction, and mental health head-on in his music. Pain quakes below the vibrato of his voice, and his delivery weighs heavy with booze-drenched regrets and mistakes in lonely hotels.The GRAMMY® nominated fourth generation musician from Greenville, SC, started playing guitar at 8-years-old following in the footsteps of his guitarist Father and Grandpa. Logging thousands of miles on the road as “The Marcus King Band,” he established himself with unparalleled performance prowess. During 2020, he linked up with Dan Auerbach and cut his solo debut El Dorado, garnering a GRAMMY® Award nomination for “Best Americana Album.”Between headlining venues, he performed alongside Chris Stapleton, Greta Van Fleet, and Nathanial Rateliff in addition to gracing the bills of Stagecoach and more. He has launched various mental health initiatives, including a guitar auction collaboration with MusiCares. Now, his 2024 album Mood Swings feels like the moment of baptism when water washes away a life’s worth of sins and degradation and all that’s left is a revived, yet still real-as-hell primal scream. It’s as if King strained raw soul straight from his gut up through that broken heart and on to the record under the watchful eye of Rick Rubin. Emphasizing his vocals front-and-center more than ever before, the trusty guitar he’s so often associated with plays the sideman this time around (though there’s no shortage of impressive shredding). For as dark as everything seemed, you can’t help but feel a sense of hope in the power of Marcus’s voice.
About the Raleigh Christmas Parade:
Presented by Shop Local Raleigh, and sponsored by Crossroads and ABC11, the Raleigh Christmas Parade is an annual event celebrating the start of the holiday season. Known for its vibrant displays, live entertainment, and family-friendly atmosphere, the parade has been a beloved tradition in the Raleigh area since 1944.
About Shop Local Raleigh
Shop Local Raleigh (SLR) is part of a growing national movement of communities rallying to support their independent businesses. Shop Local Raleigh is about connecting, supporting and growing independent businesses to strengthen and enrich our community. SLR currently serves over 800 locally owned and independent businesses. Businesses and consumers can learn more at www.shoplocalraleigh.org.
For more information, please visit www.grma.org
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Media Contact:
Jennifer Martin
Executive Director, Shop Local Raleigh
jennifer@shoplocalraleigh.org
919-755-9235