Plymouth's Thanksgiving parade steps off Nov. 21 at 10 a.m., with Water Street closed from 7 a.m.

PLYMOUTH America's Hometown Thanksgiving Parade steps off from Plymouth Rock on Saturday, Nov. 21, and Water Street along the waterfront closes to traffic from 7 a.m. until the parade ends, organizers say.

Opening ceremonies begin at 9 a.m., the parade leaves Plymouth Rock at 10 a.m. and ends at Court and Nelson streets, and watching it is free, the America's Hometown Thanksgiving Celebration says. Shuttle buses run from two lots off Route 3 for people who would rather not look for parking downtown.

The parade, which its organizers describe as a chronological march through the nation's history, anchors a weekend that also brings two concerts to Memorial Hall and a day of free family activities on the waterfront. This year's lineup of 25 floats and more than 20 musical groups is built around America's 250th anniversary, the celebration said in an Oct. 21 announcement.

WCVB Channel 5 carries the parade live at 10 a.m. for anyone watching from home, and it streams live on usathanksgiving.com, on WCVB.com and through Hearst's Very Local streaming platform, according to the announcement.

What is in this year's parade

The floats move in order from the Native peoples of the 1600s and the Mayflower's arrival in 1620 through the First Thanksgiving of 1621 and the fight for independence, and the line ends with holiday floats of Christmas morning and St. Nicholas, according to the announcement. For the 250th anniversary, floats will depict the Knox Artillery, the Dorchester Heights Monument, the Declaration of Independence, Parting Ways and Washington Crossing the Delaware, alongside floats on Plymouth landmarks, one honoring Dolly Parton, antique cars marking the 100th anniversary of Route 66 and a Fallen Heroes float in tribute to those who died in service to the country.

"Every float and musical group stands for a real moment in our history, telling the story of our incredible nation through beautiful floats and music, bringing all of our history to life," said Debra Gallo, the event's media spokesperson. "When you watch it from start to finish, you've seen 400 years of the American story."

The celebration, a nonprofit, states its mission as educating the public "while preserving our country's important history, starting with the Pilgrim legacy and Thanksgiving story while recognizing all those who have fought to protect the American way of life." Participation is by invitation, the celebration builds its own floats, and it does not allow organizations with social or political causes to promote themselves in the parade, its posted policies say.

The UMass Dartmouth Corsairs Band is on the celebration's list of marching bands, along with a band listed as Plymouth North/South High School and bands from Everett, Attleboro, Abington, Framingham, Fitchburg and Burlington. Bands from out of state include the Sanford High School band from Maine, the Nitschman Lions from Pennsylvania and the New London Wildcat Band from Ohio. The U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps marches in Revolutionary War-era uniforms, and eight alumni drum and bugle corps, among them groups from Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, march in the parade and play again at the Saturday night concert.

Road closures and shuttles

Water Street closes from Union Street to the rotary at Town Wharf from 7 a.m. until the parade ends, with Brewster, Howland and Chilton streets and Memorial Drive used for staging, the celebration's transportation plan says. From 8:30 a.m. until the end of the parade, roads close from Main Street Extension to Main and Court streets and along Court Street to the corner of Nelson Street, near Pioppi's Plaza and the former Benny's store, and the stretch from Nelson Street to Holmes Field is closed for exit staging.

Shuttle buses run every 15 minutes from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., dropping off and picking up on Lincoln Street. One lot is off Route 3 at Exit 13, on Obery Street, and the other is the MBTA commuter rail lot on Marion Drive in Kingston, off Exit 17. The buses are wheelchair accessible, and organizers call the shuttle, which drops off closer to the route than any downtown parking area, the best way to and from the waterfront for guests with mobility challenges.

The rest of the weekend

The Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra opens the weekend at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, at Memorial Hall, 83 Court St., with conductor Neal Hampton and vocalist Philip Lima. The pops program runs from Scott Joplin and Glenn Miller to medleys from "The Music Man," "Wicked" and "Hamilton," and all seats are $45, plus a $1 restoration fee the Town of Plymouth requires on Memorial Hall tickets.

On Saturday, the Children's Pavilion on the waterfront runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with face painting, art stations, a petting zoo and running and jumping games with BayState CrossFit, and admission is free. The Holiday Village, presented by the U.S. Air Force, fills Brewster Gardens with vendors, a children's tent and photos with Santa, also free. The beer and wine garden is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for $6 at the door, and Food Truck Alley sets up on the waterfront, with the waterfront events held in heated tents. The alumni drum and bugle corps concert follows at 5 p.m. at Memorial Hall, with tickets sold online.

Thanksgiving Day on Cole's Hill

On Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 26, United American Indians of New England holds its National Day of Mourning at noon on Cole's Hill, above Plymouth Rock, a gathering it has held every Thanksgiving Day since 1970. The group calls it "a solemn, spiritual and highly political day" when participants mourn their ancestors, the genocide of their peoples and the theft of their lands. Only Indigenous people speak in the program, which includes a march through Plymouth's historic district, runs until about 3 p.m. and is livestreamed.

The group asks supporters not to sell merchandise or hand out leaflets at the outdoor program and not to eat at the speak-out or during the march, out of respect for participants who fast. Masks are required, chairs are set aside for elders, and box lunches are handed out after the march.

Where this comes from

Every time, place and price in this guide comes from the organizers' own pages and announcements, and readers with questions about the parade weekend can reach the celebration at info@usathanksgiving.com, the contact address on every page of its site.

Label: Reported by us, from the town's posted records.