RALEIGH -- Sure, the turkey and pumpkin pie aren't yet in the oven for Thanksgiving, but Raleigh will leap ahead to the next holiday on Saturday when the 2011 WRAL Raleigh Christmas Parade takes place downtown.
Route: The parade starts at Hillsborough and St. Mary's streets and heads east to the state Capitol. It briefly goes around the Capitol on Salisbury and Morgan streets before heading down Fayetteville Street to Lenoir Street.
Time: The procession begins at 9:40 a.m.
TV broadcast: 10 a.m. to noon on WRAL.
Grand marshal: "American Idol" winner Scotty McCreery. The parade will be good practice for the Garner High School senior, who'll appear in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York next week.
Other participants: Marching bands from Triangle high schools and floats from area clubs and businesses. And, of course, Santa Claus.
The parade's distinction: It's the largest Christmas parade between Atlanta and Washington.
After the parade: Check out nearby Pullen Park off Western Boulevard. The popular park reopens Saturday after a nearly two-year renovation.
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