A parade is an organized public procession where people march, ride, or drive through streets while others watch. Picture a long line of marching bands playing music, colorful floats decorated with flowers and banners, dancers performing, and groups waving to crowds lined up along the sidewalks. Cities hold parades to celebrate holidays like the Fourth of July or Thanksgiving, to honor veterans on Memorial Day, or to mark special occasions like a sports team winning a championship.

When your town's high school band marches in formation down Main Street, they're on parade, showing their skills and school spirit to everyone watching.

You might also hear parade used as a verb: to parade around means to walk or display something in a showy way, like when someone parades around the classroom showing off a new trophy. Sometimes this usage suggests the person is being a bit too proud or showy.

A parade of something can also mean a series or succession: “a parade of excuses” means one excuse after another, though this usage is more metaphorical than the marching-bands-and-floats kind of parade.