Local
Chicago Thanksgiving Parade Moves Up Start Time to 7:45 a.m., a First in 92 Years
The Chicago Thanksgiving Parade will begin at 7:45 a.m. on Nov. 26, an hour earlier than any previous year, to accommodate an 8 a.m. television broadcast ahead of the Bears-Lions game. Former Bears cornerback Charles 'Peanut' Tillman will serve as grand marshal.
For the first time in its 92-year history, the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade will step off at 7:45 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning, an hour earlier than in past years, a parade spokesperson confirmed.
The earlier start, set for Thursday, Nov. 26, will allow the parade's television broadcast to begin at 8 a.m., ahead of the Chicago Bears' Thanksgiving Day matchup against the Detroit Lions. Pregame coverage is scheduled to follow at 10 a.m.
The procession will travel north along State Street from Ida B. Wells Drive to Randolph Street. Admission is free.
The schedule change also eliminates the hour of stage performances that traditionally took place before the parade entered the television broadcast zone.
Organizers expect more than 80 entries, including 14 giant balloons, seven marching bands from across the country, five local marching bands, six equestrian units and 15 performances. New attractions this year include a Cookie Monster balloon and a new sleigh for Santa Claus.
Charles "Peanut" Tillman, the former Bears cornerback who played 12 seasons with the team, will serve as grand marshal. Tillman was named the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year for the 2013 season and is widely known for the "Peanut Punch," a technique he popularized to force fumbles.
Jake Connelly, a 14-year-old actor from Arlington Heights who played Derek Turnbow in the final season of Netflix's "Stranger Things," will join Tillman as an honored guest. Connelly recently appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and sang "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" at Wrigley Field.
The earlier start means families planning to attend should set their alarms an hour sooner than usual. The parade remains free and open to the public along its State Street route.