Chicago Thanksgiving Parade
Gregory and a costumed Santa Claus led the caravan, which was filled with toys and various merchandise from State Street businesses.
Mayor Richard J. Daley assured the children of Chicago that Santa Claus would still be coming to town as usual.
The Radio City Rockettes began a three-year run of opening the parade's television broadcast with a high-kicking routine.
The parade was moved back to State Street, and for the first time, takes place on Thanksgiving Day.
In 2004, the City of Zurich (Switzerland) Police Band made its Chicago debut as the first international unit to appear in 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.
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.
On State Street from Wacker Drive to Congress Parkway parade route changed as well, now on Michigan Avenue From Balbo Avenue to Wacker Drive parade route and date changed as well, now on Thanksgiving Day and back on State Street, moving north from Congress Parkway to Randolph Street Every year, more than 100 different groups, otherwise known as "units", walk down the parade route.
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.
Honorary Grand Marshal Ronald McDonald also gave a motivational speech and emceed the event.
To viewers, "specialty units" are often considered some of the most anticipated and greatly enjoyed additions to the yearly parade.
Representatives from the Chicago Festival Association travel around the country on a regular basis to recruit new acts.
The new units included the "Children's Fantasy Theatre Orchard", "Illinois Junior Miss Emily Boker", and "Southern Ohio Ladies Aside".
For example, in 2007, the Chicago Festival Association welcomed back the Goodman Theatre and the horses and actors from their world-renowned production, A Christmas Carol.
[5] Marching Bands come to the Thanksgiving Parade from all over the country every year, and are mainly recruited by Worldstrides Heritage Performance Programs, formerly known as Bowl Games of America.
In 2007, the Chicago Festival Association recruited the pop rock group Plain White T's to perform in the parade.
In the last couple of years, the band had reached success and their single "Hey There Delilah" had been number one on the Billboard chart for two weeks.
2008 also featured Grand Marshal Jennie Finch, WWE wrestler (and Chicago native) CM Punk and the Harlem Globetrotters.
The parade featured the debut of several giant balloons as well, including Yogi Bear, Fred Flintstone, and Scooby-Doo.
In 2011, Grand Marshal Holland Taylor, Chicago's Black Ensemble Theater, the EriAm Sisters and Celeste Kellogg were featured in the parade.
In this ending, Santa Claus and WGN's Ana Belaval led the crowd in dancing to "Twist and Shout".
Leading off with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, the first hour showcased some of the area's top theatre and ethnic performance groups.
Mark Suppelsa and Micah Materre hosted the 2014 parade with on-street reporter Amy Rutledge.
With WGN-TV severing all remaining ties with WGN America (other than ownership) at the end of 2014, and the latter eliminating all Chicago-related programming from its lineup, the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade (which remains on WGN America's schedule) was the last programming that overlapped between the two stations.
Jesse Hutch and Jen Lilley will serve as hosts, through a promotional partnership with Great American Family.
[18] WCIU will continue to carry the broadcast in Chicagoland, with an encore presentation on Chicago Access Network Television.
However, the end of the movie brings a different story, and Spritz (Cage) finally gains a new sense of confidence and stability.
The culmination of this positive change is when he is shown on top of a float in the State Street Thanksgiving Parade, waiving at all of the excited spectators.
To achieve this scene, Paramount Pictures was granted permission by the Chicago Festival Association to film the float as it went down State Street in the 2004 parade.
