The 2024 America’s Thanksgiving Parade® presented by Gardner White was proud to make its 98th appearance on Woodward Avenue on Thursday, November 28th!! Celebrating Smiles of Miles, the Parade featured a star-studded line-up of one-a-kind floats, colorful costumes, high soaring balloons, thunderous marching bands, and dancing elves!! Below are some images and fun facts about the 2024 Parade!
Check out the images (below) of the 98th America’s Thanksgiving Parade® presented by Gardner White courtesy of Pointe Photography, Adrian Bradley, Cheri Warnock Photography, Chuck Falsetti Photography, and Jeff Kowalsky Photography!
An amazing list of sponsors will cruise Woodward with 28 FLOATS: including six new designs by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Central Michigan University, General Motors, Henry Ford Health, Hudson-Webber Foundation, and The Skillman Foundation.
Soaring high will be SIX BALLOONS!!
Don’t forget to cheer on your local high school – the 2024 Parade will feature 9 MARCHING BANDS!!
- Allen Park High School
- Chippewa Valley Big Reds
- Cousino Patriot Marching Band
- Dakota High School
- Detroit Public Schools Community District All City Band
- Flushing Raider Marching Band
- Oak Park Marching Legion
- Southfield A & T Marching Warriors
- St. Clair Marching Saints
Check out this awesome line-up of celebrity guests!!
Jaydin Blackwell – Gold medalist at the 2024 World Para Athletics Championship!!
Daniel J. Loepp – Co-Grand Marshal!! President + CEO of BCBSM since 2006, former Chairman of The Parade Company Board of Directors, + longtime supporter.
Frederick Richard – Bronze medal Olympian in the Men’s Artistic Team All-Around, trains and competes at the University of Michigan.
Charlie Swanson – Gold + Silver medalist at the 2024 Summer Olympics’ in Men’s Swimming.
Max Sangerman – Broadway performer of The Neil Diamond Musical: A Beautiful Noise, opening the 2024 Parade!!
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow – Co-Grand Marshal!! First Michigan woman to be elected to the US Senate, has served the people of Michigan for more than 50 years!!
Mike Tirico – Co-Grand Marshal!! Ann Arbor native, well-known sports announcer of NFL Sunday Night Football + MNF on NBC, the Olympics, U.S. Open, + many significant sporting events!
BCBSM Contest Winner – Winner of an once-in-a-lifetime experience delivering the ceremonial game ball to Ford Field!
Skillman Foundation Float Winner – Winner of an once-in-a-lifetime experience to see their float design come to life!
Hooper + Nitro – Detroit Piston’s mascot + G-League affiliate team Cruise mascot
PAWS – Detroit Tiger’s mascot
Roary – Detroit Lion’s mascot
Santa Claus – The Jolly Ole Elf!
Sonic the Hedgehog – Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, + Shadow of the third installment due in theaters on December 20, 2024!
Clownie – The Parade Company’s loveable mascot!
Additional appearances by…
- Big Head Corps presented by GameAbove
- Deborah’s Stage Door Dancers
- Detroit Dance Center
- Detroit Mounted Police
- Detroit-Windsor Dance Academy
- Detroit Fire Department Clown Team
- Detroit Goodfellows
- Detroit Mounted Police
- Distinguished Clown Corps® presented by Emagine Entertainment
- Ford Motor Company Pace Cars
- Mid American Pom Pon All Star Team
- Performers Edge Dance Company
- Studio Detroit Dance Center
- Tina Marie School of Dance
- Wayne County Sheriff Mounted Unit
- Willow Run Rosie the Riveter Lunchbox Drill Team
The Parade steps off at 8:45 A.M. Thursday, November 28th on Woodward Avenue & Kirby and ends at Woodward Avenue & Congress in downtown Detroit. Hundreds of thousands of Parade-goers are expected to line Woodward Avenue to experience the joy of Thanksgiving in Detroit!!
The two-hour broadcast of America’s Thanksgiving Parade® presented by Gardner White will be featured on WDIV-Local 4 including a one-hour national broadcast reaching 84+ million households nationwide. 760 WJR and 104.3 WMOC will also broadcast live from The Parade. The Parade is also live streamed at www.clickondetroit.com.
For road closures, please CLICK HERE!!
2024 National Syndication List
To apply for the 2025 Parade, please see the applications available below. The Selection Committee selects units based on their use of costumes, music, performance, entertainment value, and teamwork with The Parade Company.
Applications are required to be completed in full for consideration and must be submitted no later than Friday, August 1, 2025.
2025 Marching Band Application
