Organizers of the 2025 Lawrence Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade canceled the event Tuesday because of a horse virus outbreak affecting multiple states.
The event, scheduled for Dec. 6, has been a Lawrence tradition for more than 30 years. Event organizers estimate it typically draws tens of thousands of people to the city.
The parade normally travels through downtown Lawrence and features horses dressed in holiday attire provided by dozens of participants. The 2023 lineup listed almost 50 participants with horses from as far away as Iowa and Nebraska.
Organizers said they canceled the event because of an ongoing equine herpesvirus outbreak currently detected in eight states, including Colorado and Oklahoma.
“The health and safety of the horses and our community come first, always,” said Marty Kennedy, president of the Lawrence Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade. “Canceling this year’s parade was an extremely difficult decision, but it is the responsible one.”
The virus is not a threat to humans but spreads easily among horses.
Equine herpesvirus causes respiratory illness and pregnancy losses, and can in rare cases cause neurological disease. More severe cases affect coordination and cause difficulty walking, according to the University of Missouri.
