Let's After-Party

After the Dallas Holiday Parade, head to Verizon Village for more magic

Keep the party going at Verizon Village.

Photo courtesy of Verizon

Every December, downtown Dallas transforms into a swirl of color, music, and holiday energy as thousands gather for the beloved Dallas Holiday Parade.

This year, all roads lead to one especially sparkling destination: Verizon Village at Main Street Garden, the gold at the end of the parade.

As the parade's presenting partner for the third year, Verizon is once again bringing its signature spirit of community, creativity, and joy to the city’s biggest one-day outdoor event. And if the parade is the heartbeat of the holidays, Verizon Village is where that heartbeat turns into a dance party full of interactive fun, photo-ready moments, and surprises designed to bring families, friends, and entire neighborhoods together.

A holiday tradition that keeps growing

Since rolling down its first route in 1988 — originally celebrating anniversaries for The Adolphus and Children’s Medical Center Dallas — the Dallas Holiday Parade has blossomed into a North Texas institution.

Dallasites now mark their calendars for the first Saturday of December, staking out their favorite spots along Commerce and Houston Streets as floats glide by, giant balloons sway through the skyscraper canyons, and marching bands fill the morning with music.

This year, the parade returns Saturday, December 6, with step-off around 8:30 am and the main event beginning at 9 am.

Once the parade winds its way through downtown, the fun continues just a few blocks away at Main Street Garden, where the New Verizon Village runs from 11 am-3 pm.

This is your chance to explore interactive booths, enjoy live entertainment like the Human Snow Globe, and capture those all-important holiday photos by snapping pics at the AI photo booth or posing with Mr. and Mrs. Claus at the Village's entrance.

Snag seasonal goodies and enjoy snacks from Comeback Cookie, Crunchy Munchy, RU Chocolate, Bakes by Sophia, and a hot chocolate and coffee truck.

Verizon Village is a full-blown celebration on its own that's designed for everyone, from toddlers with sugar-cookie energy to teens hunting for Instagram backdrops to adults who know good holiday vibes when they see them.

Lace up at CultureMap City Rink

As if Verizon Village didn’t already deliver enough good cheer, 2025 brings a brand-new attraction that’s turning Main Street Garden into a winter playground: the inaugural CultureMap City Rink, a holiday ice rink launched in partnership with Verizon and Downtown Dallas, Inc.

That’s right, an outdoor rink (made of real ice!) right in the heart of downtown Dallas, and everyone's invited to lace up. Skate after the parade or just kick back at the Apres Chalet and sip cocoa while taking in the city skyline. It’s the perfect holiday memory-maker, and it's all steps from all the Verizon Village action.

Tips to make your parade day shine

Gather your crew and plan to make December 6 an all-out celebration with these invaluable tips:

The parade is free! Want a guaranteed view? Limit bleacher seats are available to purchase in advance.
Take DART. Street closures and parking congestion come with the holiday territory — public transit makes the morning run a lot smoother.
Bundle up. Or don’t. This is Texas, so it might be frosty or it might be 65 degrees. Who knows!
Bring blankets or collapsible chairs if you’re not in the bleachers.
Plan to stay. The best part of the day happens after the floats finish at Verizon Village and the CultureMap City Rink.

With the Dallas Holiday Parade setting the tone for the season, Verizon Village and CultureMap City Rink turn the day into a true downtown celebration.

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#Winning

Dallas Mavericks hire NCAA champion Dusty May as new head coach

Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Head coach Dusty May of the Michigan Wolverines has been named the Dallas Mavericks' new head coach.

The Dallas Mavericks officially announced Dusty May as their new coach just a few hours before entering the NBA draft with the ninth pick on Tuesday night, June 23.

May is making the jump to the NBA less than three months after leading Michigan to its first NCAA championship since 1989. He had a 64-13 record in two years with the Wolverines, including a 34-3 season that ended with a 69-63 victory over UConn in the national title game.

The Mavericks made their choice to replace Jason Kidd official on the same day they could select the next young player who would be part of building around 2025 No. 1 pick and reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg, who turns 20 in December.

Dallas also has the final pick of the first round at No. 30 and the 48th choice in the second round, which will be held Wednesday.

“Dusty has won at every stage of his career because of his ability to build,” said new president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri, who let Kidd go about two weeks after getting hired by the Mavericks. “He develops players, creates accountability and brings people together around a shared standard of excellence. His work ethic is extraordinary, and his teams consistently reflect his values.”

May's title with Michigan came three years after he led Florida Atlantic to its only Final Four appearance. The Wolverines won the Big Ten Tournament in his first season after he inherited a team that went 8-24 under Juwan Howard. It was the school’s lowest win total since going 7-20 in 1981-82.

The 49-year-old May’s record in his last four college seasons was 124-26, an .827 winning percentage that was third best in all of major college men’s basketball over that span behind Houston’s Kelvin Sampson (.861) and Duke’s Jon Scheyer (.832). His overall college record is 190-82.

May spent 21 years in the college ranks after the Indiana native first served as a student manager for the Hoosiers and coach Bob Knight while he was in school there from 1996-2000. Florida, UAB and Murray State were among his stops as an assistant before debuting as a head coach with Florida Atlantic in 2018-19.

“This is one of the most respected franchises in professional sports, with passionate fans, a talented roster, and a clear commitment to building a championship organization,” May said.

Moving on from Kidd was the last part of putting the ill-fated Luka Doncic trade behind the Dallas franchise for good.

Nico Harrison, the engineer of the trade that brought the oft-injured Anthony Davis from the Los Angeles Lakers, was fired in November after the team started slowly in 2025-26. The Mavericks ended up missing the playoffs for the second consecutive season since reaching the NBA Finals and losing to Boston in five games.

Doncic and Kyrie Irving were the key players in that deep playoff run in 2024, two years after Doncic also reached the Western Conference finals with a mostly different supporting cast.

Irving remains on the roster amid lingering questions about his future after missing all of last season. Irving tore the ACL in his left knee in March of last year, a month after the Doncic trade.

“Dusty represents the type of leader we want guiding this franchise,” Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont said. “He has demonstrated throughout his career that success is built through preparation, character, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.”

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