McDonalds Thanksgiving Parade in Chicago

November 10, 10:45 PMChicago Community Life ExaminerChristine Nyholm

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Holiday decorations on State Street in Chicago.
City of Chicago

The annual Thanksgiving Day Parade is a terrific start to the festive holiday season in Chicago. The 76th Anniversary of the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade will march down State Street on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 2009 from 8:30 AM to 11 :00 AM. McDonald's Annual Thanksgiving Parade is a holiday event that delights the entire family – a spectacle to be enjoyed by kids and adults.

Thrill to the sight of Santa Claus, Ronald McDonald, marching bands, gigantic inflatable helium balloons and talented entertainers on decorated floats. McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade is the only parade in Chicago to feature the giant inflatable balloons every year. The parade was started during the Great Depression of the 1930's to lift the spirits of the people during dark financial times.

The parade is a popular holiday event in the City of Chicago, with 400,000 people lining the parade route on State Street, from Randolph to Chicago to for the excitement and holiday magic.

In addition to the Thanksgiving Parade, Chicago will be decorated for the holiday season. The holiday tree lighting ceremony at Daley Plaza will be held on the day before Thanksgiving, so as dusk falls later in the day the tree lights will be illuminated. The German Christmas Market (Christkindlmarkt) at Daley Plaza will be open during the day on Thanksgiving Day.

If you cannot make it downtown for the Thanksgiving Parade, the parade will be televised live on WGN-”TV( in High Definition.

As with all high profile events in Chicago, the Mayor's Office of Special Events recommends public transportation to avoid heavy traffic.

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