100 Years of The Great Detroit Thanksgiving Parade
The Detroit Thanksgiving Parade started the same year as New York’s: 1924. This year marks 100 years of the Detroit Thanksgiving Parade… but it’s the 98th time the parade has run. During WWII, the parade was suspended (1943-1944) due to material shortages.
Epicureantravelerblog.com has a great article on Detroit events, including America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, presented by Gardner White. Here’s a bystander video of the parade from 2023:
Detroit Thanksgiving Parade History
The same year that Macy’s started the New York City Parade, Hudson’s began the American Thanksgiving Day Parade down Woodward. Detroithistorical.org describes the parade’s history in full. The Christmas season officially started once Santa pulled up in front of Hudson’s to accept the key to the city and to the “hearts of good children everywhere.”
Who Puts The Parade Together?
The Michigan Thanksgiving Parade Foundation has been around since 1982. According to parade.org, the foundation is a nonprofit with the purpose of “staging and perpetuating America’s Thanksgiving Parade® presented by Gardner White, Michigan’s grandest and most cherished civic event.”
The Parade Company operates out of Detroit, which is a super cool and creative place. They’re the masterminds behind our Detroit Thanksgiving parade. You can book a tour and check it out for yourself. Personally, I give them mad props. See what I did there?
This Year’s Parade Grand Marshalls
- CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Dan Leopp
- United States Senator Debbie Stabenow
- Sports Commentator, Mike Tirico
Grandstand tickets are $60-70 and can be purchased in advance. Come out for The Turkey Trot 10K before the parade!
Hope to see you there! What an amazing event! Special thanks to Steve at the Parade Company for sharing perfect pictures of this Detroit tradition.
