Procession vs. Parade — What's the Difference?

Generally observed by participants adhering to specific roles.

Designed to create a lively, interactive atmosphere.

Moves from one location to another to mark a significant event.

A public celebration featuring floats, music, and costumes.

A sequence of individuals moving as part of a ceremony.

Often occurs on holidays and involves elaborate preparations.

Often involves carrying symbols or icons relevant to the occasion.

Can include competitions or performances.

Can be a silent march respecting the event's gravity.

Engages a wide array of community members.

A procession is an organized body of people walking in a formal or ceremonial manner.

A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind.

A group of persons, vehicles, or objects moving along in an orderly, formal manner.

An organized public procession on a festive or ceremonial occasion.

The movement of such a group.

The participants in such a procession.

(Theology) Origination; emanation

A regular place of assembly for reviews of troops. Also called parade ground.

To form or go in a procession.

A formal review of marching military troops.

The act of progressing or proceeding.

The troops taking part in such a review.

A group of people or things moving along in an orderly, stately, or solemn manner; a train of persons advancing in order; a retinue.

A line or extended group of moving persons or things

A number of things happening in sequence (in space or in time).

An extended, usually showy succession

Litanies said in procession and not kneeling.

An ostentatious show; an exhibition

(cricket) The rapid dismissal of a series of batsmen.

A public square or promenade.

(intransitive) To take part in a procession.

To take part in a parade; march in a public procession

To honour with a procession.

To assemble for a ceremonial military review or other exercise.

To ascertain, mark, and establish the boundary lines of (lands).

To stroll in public, especially so as to be seen; promenade.

The act of proceeding, moving on, advancing, or issuing; regular, orderly, or ceremonious progress; continuous course.

To behave so as to attract attention; show off.

That which is moving onward in an orderly, stately, or solemn manner; a train of persons advancing in order; a ceremonious train; a retinue; as, a procession of mourners; the Lord Mayor's procession.

To cause to take part in a parade

An orderly and ceremonial progress of persons, either from the sacristy to the choir, or from the choir around the church, within or without.

To assemble (troops) for a ceremonial review.

An old term for litanies which were said in procession and not kneeling.

To march or walk through or around

To ascertain, mark, and establish the boundary lines of, as lands.

To exhibit ostentatiously; flaunt

To march in procession.

An organized display of a group of people, particularly

To honor with a procession.

(military) military parade: A show of troops, an assembly of troops as a show of force, to receive orders, or especially for inspection at set times.

(theology) the origination of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost;

A public procession, especially one commemorating a holiday or special event or (dated) in protest.

The group action of a collection of people or animals or vehicles moving ahead in more or less regular formation;

Synonym of herd: A group of elephants when on the move.

The act of moving forward toward a goal

A place reserved for such displays, particularly

Synonym of parade ground: A place specially designated for such displays or for practicing close-order drills.

(dated) promenade: A route, street, or square frequented by pedestrians or formerly used for military parades.

(uncommon) road, used in place names.

The people who make up such a display, particularly

The body of soldiers thus assembled.

The body of promenaders thus assembled.

(figurative) show: any similarly orderly or ostentatious display, especially of a variety of people or a series of things paraded around.

A row of shops beside a street.

: a description of the programming schedule formerly announced on the radio and various television channels.

(uncommon) parry in both its literal and figurative senses.

(intransitive) To take part in a parade, particularly

To assemble for inspection, to receive orders, etc.

To march impressively or ostentatiously.

(transitive) To march past.

(transitive) To march through or along.

(figurative) promenade: to walk up and down, especially in public in order to show off and be seen by others.

To move slowly through or among.

To walk in a row led by one parent, often trailed by the other.

(transitive) To cause to take part in a parade, particularly

To assemble soldiers for inspection, to receive orders, etc.

(figurative) show off: to display or reveal prominently or ostentatiously, especially in a kind of procession.

To furnish with a parade or parades.

The ground where a military display is held, or where troops are drilled. Also called parade ground.

An assembly and orderly arrangement or display of troops, in full equipments, for inspection or evolutions before some superior officer; a review of troops. Parades are general, regimental, or private (troop, battery, or company), according to the force assembled.

Any imposing procession; the movement of any group of people marshaled in military order, especially a festive public procession, which may include a marching band, persons in varied costume, vehicles with elaborate displays, and other forms of entertainment, held in commemoration or celebration of an event or in honor of a person or persons; as, a parade of firemen; a Thanksgiving Day parade; a Memorial Day parade; a ticker-tape parade.

A pompous show; a formal or ostentatious display or exhibition.

Posture of defense; guard.

A public walk; a promenade.

To exhibit in a showy or ostentatious manner; to show off.

To assemble and form; to marshal; to cause to maneuver or march ceremoniously; as, to parade troops.

To make an exhibition or spectacle of one's self, as by walking in a public place.

To assemble in military order for evolutions and inspection; to form or march, as in review or in a public celebratory parade{3}.

A ceremonial procession including people marching

An extended (often showy) succession of persons or things;

A visible display;

Walk ostentatiously;

March in a procession;

The use of music, floats, costumes, and the lively engagement of spectators contribute to a parade’s festive nature.

Parades are commonly associated with cultural festivals, national holidays, and other public celebrations.

Yes, parades often involve diverse community groups and are open to various participants.

Spectators at a procession are expected to observe quietly and respectfully, while parade spectators are encouraged to interact and celebrate.

A procession serves to fulfill a ceremonial or ritualistic purpose, often with a solemn and respectful tone.

While many processions are religious, they can also occur in state or military contexts.

Music in processions is often more subdued and formal if present, unlike the vibrant sounds typical in parades.

A funeral procession honors the deceased, marking respect and remembrance as part of the funeral rites.

Children often participate in parades through school groups, sports teams, or as spectators enjoying the festivities.

Yes, processions can be part of non-religious events such as state ceremonies or cultural commemorations.