Скачать или смотреть Carytown Cone Parade heralds new year with 'beautiful positivity and fun' in Richmond

Hundreds of Richmonders kicked off 2026 in cone-shaped costumes during the 18th annual Carytown Cone Parade on New Year's Day.

The quirky tradition drew hundreds of participants who gathered at the Aquarian Bookshop on South Thompson Street before marching down Cary Street in elaborate cone costumes. The parade has grown significantly from its humble beginnings with just 10 people.

"It's where everybody dressed up as a cone and we march around Carytown to spread New Year's kind of cheer," Kennedy O'Connor explained.

This year's parade featured creative interpretations of the cone theme, including a pizza slice costume and participants dressed as "trash panda and the trash can and the toilet," bringing internet memes to life.

Nick Lasky, the event's founder, explained the deeper meaning behind the cone shape choice.

"In sacred geometry or the approach to shapes and geometry that each particular shape has a quality of energy," Lasky said. "So cones, the particular shape, raises the energy. You can see the energy is going down to up. And to a particular point, we're raising our energy, and as we make a whole procession down Carey Street, we're collectively raising the energy and spreading that out as beautiful positivity and fun."

The parade has become a beloved Richmond tradition that captures the city's unique character.

"It's just one of the things that makes Richmond so Richmond," Mayor Danny Avula. "Like quirky, fun, energy, and as Nick said, this is about having a good time and it's about spreading love and joy."

Avula even joined in the festivities and donned a cone costume to participate in the march.

The free event requires no registration and welcomes anyone willing to create their own cone costume. Past parades have featured incredible creativity, with participants transforming the simple cone shape into dinosaur cones, unicorn cones, farm animal cones, office furniture cones, Christmas tree cones, and even a Van Gogh painting cone.

"It's been going 18 years strong," Lasky said. "I think the fact that it's been going on so long, it's just a testament that people love it."

The parade attracts both longtime Richmond residents discovering the tradition for the first time and enthusiastic repeat participants who see it as the perfect way to start the new year with something fun and whimsical.