The Santa Clara Parade of Champions (SCPOC) has been a time-honored legacy in Santa Clara since 1945 when we welcomed home our WWII Heroes. Since then, generations of Santa Clarans have never forgotten the memories and sense of community that the parade reinforced year after year. Our 501c3 Nonprofit organization of grass roots volunteers are grateful to our Champions and Community Heroes for the generous support in bringing back the 50-year-old parade after a 24-year hiatus--we made history together!

In 2019, parade attendance was about 10K with 2K in the parade from around the Bay Area. There were amazing custom floats and numerous 20 ft Balloons, marching bands from around the Bay Area, WWII Veterans, Rosie the Riveter, Blue Star Moms, professional and youth sports and community groups, cultural, civic, and business leaders, and our Charitable Partner JW House. Even our Grand Marshals have deep roots in Santa Clara--Champions like Brandi Chastain, Jerry Smith, Carney Lansford, and Paul Rosa all came out in support of our historic return.

Last year 2020 was also one for the History books--an unprecedented year of pandemic. A total shutdown of life as we knew it around the world. We are grateful for our community and frontline heroes who risked their lives daily to save ours and could not go without honoring their sacrifice of service to the community.

Together is how we got through the COVID-19 pandemic. With the help of a community grant by the City, sponsorships and the participation of all stakeholders from the community, SCPOC was able to produce a 2-hour commemorative parade video program to honor our 2020 Pandemic heroes in a one-of-a-kind recorded Virtual and Live Stream event across our social media platforms and broadcasted on SC City Channel 15. We are proud and grateful for the community’s creative participation, sponsorship by our City Leadership, Youth and NPO, Schools, local Businesses in our first ever Virtual Parade of Champions. Proud of the District Home decoration contest City Wide. Santa Clara showed their pride and spirit for their heroes--we all needed that boost to lift our spirits through SIP.

2021 SCPOC was our Victory Parade for our Community and Frontline Heroes in person!!! We even had Krazy George as Grand Marshal--it was that kind of year. We celebrated live, it was livestreamed, and broadcasted on Local Comcast SC City Channel 15. Lots of Visibility for our Heroes! We had over eighty-five groups equating to 2K in the parade and 8K from the Community present.

The 2022 Parade of Champions was even bigger over 15K in attendance in the downtown on Saturday, October 1st at with Festivities all day ending with Salsa on the Square at 5p.m. -- all to honor our resilient community and COVID heroes. It was a year of celebration for Schools this year coming out of COVID. SCHS celebrated 150 years as the 6th oldest school in the State and we celebrated BIG the month of October. Congratulations to one of two of our Grand Marshals this year—both started their careers at SCUSD—Krazy George at Buchser and Kathleen MacDonald currently the Vice Principal at Wilcox Highschool at SCHS. Her family has deep roots in Santa Clara. Its been a long time since we opened a new school in Santa Clara and that honor went to our Kathleen MacDonald! Watch the celebrations here on our home page 24/7.

SAVE the Date—the annual parade will be held traditionally on the first Saturday of October on the 7th, 2023. Parade at 11am and festivities all day until 5pm with Food Trucks in the Community Village and a Street Dance. To participate, sponsor, volunteer or donate to our Nonprofit in support of the Parade sign up online, send an email at avsmith2014@gmail.com, call or text at 408-394-2473. We can’t wait!