Mayor's Christmas Parade Packs Hampden: PHOTOS

BALTIMORE, MD — Dogs in their best holiday sweaters joined their owners to line the streets of Hampden Sunday afternoon for the Mayor's Christmas Parade. This year was the 45th annual parade, which is sponsored by the communities in Hampden and Medfield.

Larger-than-life floats paraded through Falls Road to 36th Street to Chestnut Avenue, with Rudolph and Frosty among the lineup. Local and regional marching bands added to the holiday cheer with sounds of the season, while vendors sold holiday wares and sweet treats along the parade route.

Mayor Catherine Pugh headed up the parade, which packed streets and balconies around the community.

The Mayor's Annual Christmas Parade in Baltimore is so popular, in fact, that it has been nominated as one of USA Today's Best Holiday Parades. The competition aims to rank the 20 best parades in the country.

See Also: USA Today's Best Holiday Parades List Includes Baltimore

Baltimore is up against the Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade in Annapolis and contenders from the McDonald's Christmas Parade in Chicago to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.

People can vote here daily through noon on Monday, Dec. 4 to help Baltimore win. The winner will be announced at noon on Friday, Dec. 8.

Photos by Elizabeth Janney.