When Mike and Lisa separate, their children suffer quietly. Sixteen-year-old Kat believes they will reconcile and keeps the situation secret. As months pass and tensions mount, she becomes isolated between family and friends with no one to confide in. Meanwhile, Jack is forced to mediate between parents and carry the family finances. While his mom avoids confrontation, their dad works to lead his string band to victory in Philadelphia's annual Mummer's Parade. A band member himself, Jack questions his loyalty as his parents' actions wear on his own relationship. The New Year Parade is a unique discovery film, mixing actors and non-actors, documentary footage and fiction, to take a closer look at how divorce can affect young people.