The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for optimizing parallel queries using interesting distributions. For each logical operator in an SQL server MEMO, in a top down manner from a root operator to the leaf operators, interesting distributions for the operators can be identified based on the properties of the operators. Identified interesting distributions can be propagated down to lower operators by annotating the lower operators with the interesting distributions. Thus, a SQL server MEMO can be annotated with interesting distributions propagated top down from root to leaf logical operators to generate an annotated SQL server MEMO. Parallel query plans can then be generated from the annotated SQL server MEMO in a bottom up manner from leaf operators to a root operator. Annotated interesting properties can be used to prune operators, thereby facilitating a more tractable search space for a parallel query plan.