The Chicago Thanksgiving Parade, "Chicago's Grand Holiday Tradition", is an annual parade produced and presented by the Chicago Festival Association (CFA). It began in 1934 and is held in downtown Chicago on State Street, every Thanksgiving morning from 8:00 am until 11:00 am CST. It is televised locally on WCIU-TV. From 2007 to 2019, the event was carried on WGN-TV and its superstation feed nationwide.
History In 1934, the United States had been in the Great Depression for six years. Many leaders in Chicago searched for ways to boost the economy as well as public spirit. Walter Gregory, President of Chicago's State Street Council, proposed a Christmas parade to Chicago Mayor Edward Kelly in the hopes that it would improve the moods of Chicago residents. The Mayor agreed to the parade, being primarily interested in its potential to improve Chicago's economy.
Chicago's first Christmas Parade was on State Street on December 7, 1934. Gregory and a costumed Santa Claus led the caravan, which was filled with toys and various merchandise from State Street businesses. As the city's government officials had hoped, the parade contributed to desirable growth in the local economy and 1934 held the city's largest holiday buying period since 1927. This was both exciting and surprising for the entire city. Not only was it the Depression, but that day held dangerously low temperatures throughout the entire state. Some areas of Illinois were as low as fourteen degrees below zero (Fahrenheit).
In 1935, the city was in even worse financial status as a result of the Depression. The city could not afford the expensive floats that were used the year before. However, the event had been so successful in the previous year that The State Street Council and the City of Chicago agreed to use an old trolley to pull the floats, as there were trolley tracks on State Street at the time.
The parade was held despite World War II.
The parade underwent a leadership change in 1968, when the Mayor's Office of Special Events took over the responsibility of producing the holiday parade when the State Street Council determined that it could no longer fund the parade. Mayor Richard J. Daley assured the children of Chicago that Santa Claus would still be coming to town as usual.
In 1969, the Chicago Tribune reported that more than 1.5 million people lined the parade route.
In 1981, over 100 Santas handed out over 10,000 balloons as hundreds of thousands watched the parade.
The parade saw its first title sponsor in 1984. The parade was renamed "The Ronald McDonald Children's Charities Parade". The route of the parade was also changed from State Street to Michigan Avenue. McDonald's was the title sponsor until 1989, and has had some sort of sponsorship with the parade to this day.
In 1990, the parade became known as "The Brach's Kid's Holiday Parade". Local confectioner Brach's Confections, Inc. assumed the title sponsorship of the parade until 1998.
In 1998, Marshall Field's took over as title sponsor of the parade. "The Field's Jingle Elf Parade" was created and lasted through the 2001 parade. The Radio City Rockettes began a three-year run of opening the parade's television broadcast with a high-kicking routine. That same year, the parade started focusing on debuting several giant character balloons. Starting with Kermit the Frog and Billy Blazes, Chicago's Thanksgiving Parade has introduced more recognizable character balloons since this time than any other parade in the country.
In 1999, Target joined Marshall Field's as the title sponsor. The parade was moved back to State Street, and for the first time, takes place on Thanksgiving Day.
In 2001, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus became the parade's newest opening act – a position it held until 2016 (the circus performed its last show in May 2017). This year, the circus introduced the first elephant to appear in the parade.
The "Target Thanksgiving Parade" was formed in 2002, as Target took over title sponsorship of the parade. In this year, CFA signed a five-year national syndication deal with ABC 7 Chicago. A partnership with CFA and The League of Chicago Theatres was formed as well, resulting in several local and national touring theatre companies performing vignettes of their current productions for the parade.
In 2003, the parade was renamed the "State Street Thanksgiving Parade". The parade presented its first-ever unit from Hawaii – E la Ka Hololio Me Ke Kahiau, a traditional equestrian group from Kailua, Hawaii.
In 2004, the City of Zurich (Switzerland) Police Band made its Chicago debut as the first international unit to appear in the parade.
In 2006, the parade assumed the name "McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade," as the McDonald's Owners of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana and the McDonald's Corporation announced a two-year title sponsorship of the parade. Close to a half-million spectators line Chicago's State Street for one of the warmest Thanksgiving mornings in memory.
In 2007, WGN-TV and CFA announced that the station would broadcast the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade live and in high definition on WGN 9 Chicago. Available in 72 million homes at that time, Superstation WGN (now WGN America) also aired the parade live across the nation. This established the parade as one of three parades in the country to be covered live, in its entirety, on a national television broadcast.
In 2008, the parade celebrated its 75th step-off with a three-hour live broadcast. The first hour of the parade featured the best in local theatre and culture, with the rest of the parade featuring the traditional, forward motion parade.
In 2010, the parade announced local-born actress Jennifer Beals as its Grand Marshal. The parade reached a record high 3.75 million viewers across the country. Over 350,000 spectators braved the elements and attended the parade in person on State Street.
In 2011, the crowds enjoyed clear weather and a parade line-up consisting of Grand Marshal Holland Taylor, the Harlem Globetrotters, the Chicago cast of Million Dollar Quartet, the Eriam Sisters, Celeste Kellogg and more.
In 2018, Chicago-area outdoor retailer Uncle Dan's became the headline sponsor.
In 2020, saw no parade as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; parade organizers noted they had been ordered by the city of Chicago not to hold the parade, nor any other "special events". This was the first cancellation in history, with the 87th edition being deferred to 2021.
Names 1934: Christmas Caravan On State Street from Wacker Drive to Congress Parkway 1935–1983: State Street Christmas Parade 1984–1989: McDonald's Children's Charity Parade parade route changed as well, now on Michigan Avenue From Balbo Avenue to Wacker Drive 1990: The Brach's Kids Holiday Parade (Brach's Confections) 1998: The Field's Jingle Elf Parade (sponsored by Marshall Field's) 1999: The Field's Jingle Elf Parade Presented by Target & Marshall Field's parade route and date changed as well, now on Thanksgiving Day and back on State Street, moving north from Congress Parkway to Randolph Street 2002: Target Thanksgiving Parade (Target Corporation) 2003–2005: State Street Thanksgiving Parade 2006–2017: McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade 2018: Uncle Dan's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2019, 2021–present: Chicago Thanksgiving Parade
Groups Every year, more than 100 different groups, otherwise known as "units", walk down the parade route. These units are made up of Giant Inflatables, Specialty Units, Equestrian Units, Marching Bands, and Floats.
Teddy Turkey Teddy Turkey is the plump mascot of the Uncle Dan's Thanksgiving Teddy also is known to make appearances throughout the city, helping to spread the holiday spirit – year round – to everyone he meets. Teddy has a Facebook page at facebook.com/teddyturkeyhttp://facebook.com/teddyturkey and a Twitter account at @TeddyTurkey.
Balloons
The Chicago Thanksgiving Parade uses primarily helium balloons, which have the benefit of floating in the air. In recent years, a helium shortage has caused several parades to cut down or cease their helium use altogether. However, The producers of this parade have yet to express any plans to move to cold air balloons; only one or two cold air balloons are used every year. Chicago's Thanksgiving Parade is the city's only event that features inflatable balloons every year.
Parade school Every year, the producers of the parade hold a parade training school to ensure sufficient preparation in several of the volunteers. For many years the Chicago Festival Association, the pa with the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago, and hold the day's proceedings there. The main attraction and section of the school is for the "balloon handlers", a name given to the volunteers who balance the giant inflatables as they go down the parade route. All volunteers are treated to a sneak preview of the parade. 2010's parade school included performances from Miss Illinois and the 501st Midwest Garrison. Honorary Grand Marshal Ronald McDonald also gave a motivational speech and emceed the event.
Balloon inflation The balloons for the parade begin the inflation process before sunrise to the south of the beginning of the parade route. It takes several people to fill each balloon with helium or cold air.
Featured balloons 2025: Teddy Turkey (cold air), Jewel-Osco's Jojo 2024: Teddy Turkey (cold air), Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (cold air), Jewel-Osco's Jojo 2023: Cookie Monster, Teddy Turkey (cold air), The Cat in the Hat, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Animal, Kermit the Frog, The Abominable Snowman, Peppa Pig, Care Bear, Garfield, The Grinch, The Lorax, Jewel-Osco's Jojo, The Rolling Stones logo spheres 2022: Scooby-Doo (cold air), Yogi Bear (cold air), Brainy Smurf (cold air), Hello Kitty (cold air), Felix the Cat (cold air), Fred Flintstone (cold air) 2021: No balloons due to COVID-19 restrictions 2020: Event entirely cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 2019: All balloons grounded due to severe winds 2018: Fred Flintstone (cold air), Rudolph, Tasmanian Devil 2017: Scooby-Doo (cold air), Yogi Bear (cold air), Fred Flintstone (cold air) 2016: Teddy Turkey (cold air), Kung Fu Panda (cold air), Cookie Monster (cold air) 2015: Teddy Turkey (cold air), Plex, Care Bear, Arthur, Hello Kitty, Tweety Bird 2014: Scooby-Doo (cold air), Strawberry Shortcake, Fred Flintstone, Arthur, Curious George, Madeline, Tweety Bird 2013: Teddy Turkey (cold air), Garfield with Pooky, Tazmanian Devil, Curious George, Foofa, Mr. Potato Head, Arthur, Madeline, Tweety Bird, Pac-Man, Sid the Science Kid, The Nutcracker 2012: Arthur, Cornucopia, Curious George, Gingerbread Man, Mighty Mouse, Mr. Potato Head, Odie, Paddington Bear, Peter the Penguin, Tom & Jerry, Pilgrim Garfield, Woody Woodpecker 2011: Teddy Turkey (cold air), Pilgrim Garfield, Curious George, Rocky J. Squirrel, Papa Smurf, Big Bird, Arthur, Bullwinkle J. Moose, Odie, Yogi Bear, Fred Flintstone, Elmo 2010: Teddy Turkey (cold air), Bob the Builder, Bullwinkle J. Moose, Curious George, Madeline, Kenneth the Blue Elf, Fred Flintstone, Pilgrim Garfield, Maisy Mouse, Scooby-Doo, Underdog, Yogi Bear 2009: Pilgrim Garfield, Strawberry Shortcake, Underdog, Paddington Bear, Raggs, Bob the Builder, Hello Kitty, Cookie Monster, Bullwinkle J. Moose, Curious George, Maisy Mouse, Rocky J. Squirrel 2008: Teddy Turkey (cold air), Elmo, Bob the Builder, Animal, Pilgrim Garfield, Cow Jumped Over the Moon, Arthur, Curious George, Super Grover, Cookie Monster, Popeye, Paddington Bear 2007: Teddy Turkey (cold air), Cookie Monster, Elmo, Strawberry Shortcake, Bear in the Big Blue House, The Nutcracker, Pink Panther, Kermit the Frog, Big Bird, Popeye, Animal, Rudolph 2006: Teddy Turkey (cold air), Humpty Dumpty, Hickory Dickory Dock, The Gingerbread Man, Bear in the Big Blue House, The Nutcracker, Frosty the Snowman, Kermit the Frog, Bert and Ernie, T-Rex, Bob & Larry, Rudolph
Specialty units