VIDEO! Catch streaming video live coverage online of the Raleigh Christmas Parade 2009! The Raleigh Christmas Parade 2009 starts at 9:30 AM. Live TV coverage is on WRAL-TV starting at 10 AM as the parade passes the anchor booth.

Today is the 65th annual parade presented by the Greater Raleigh Merchants Association which has presented it every year since 1944. As many as 35 floats, 20 marching bands, three giant helium balloons are more will fill the parade route in front of 50,000 viewers and an a tv audience of 250,000.

GRMA says in a statement:

“The Raleigh Christmas Parade continues to be a huge success and has become a holiday tradition for our state. It just keeps growing and getting better every year. We owe it to WRAL-TV, Crabtree Valley Mall, Time Warner Cable and WakeMed for their generous support of this event.”

“The timing couldn’t be better for everyone who cares about sustaining a strong, diverse base of local independent businesses and expanding economic opportunity here in the Triangle. With Shop Local Raleigh’s presence in the parade, we’ll be reminding people to shop local for the holidays.”

Catch live streaming video here:WRAL.com