2008 Volunteer Positions

2008 Volunteer Position Descriptions (324 KB)

There are many opportunities available for families, groups, individuals and organizations to make a difference as parade volunteers. Please check below to learn more about 2008 volunteer opportunities - invite friends, family members, or co-workers to join you in a new holiday tradition!

Please note: All volunteers must be 12 years of age or older or meet the specific position requirement, unless previously approved by the Chicago Festival Association.

We also ask that volunteers be flexible and choose several options when selecting a position. Extremely popular positions, such as green room, balloon handler and hospitality fill up quickly, and it is necessary to provide CFA with second and third choices.

Balloon Handler
Ever wonder how a 70 foot Kermit the Frog makes his way up State Street? Help maneuver 3,000 cubic feet of helium under the El tracks and down the parade route. Must be 16 years of age, MUST have at least 1 year volunteer experience with our parade and attend balloon training at Parade School on November 10th, 2007.

Banner Carrier
Make your television debut! Join hundreds of other famous hopefuls proudly carrying unit and partner banners up the route. You may walk between 1 and 3 miles the day of the event and are required to wear khaki pants on parade day.

Block Marshals
Are you always on time? Then we need you! Block Marshals are stationed at every block to maintain the speed and spacing of units as they march up State Street. Route Marshals
communicate with step-off, TV Zone and parade participants to achieve perfect parade timing.

Disband
Where do all the participants go after at the end of the parade route? Find out on the disband team. Volunteers direct units to their appropriate disband areas ensuring units maintain forward motion and keep the TV zone from backing up.

Green Room
Here is your chance to get in where even the paparazzi can not! Entertain Chicago’s hottest
celebrities and honored guests in the Parade’s Green Room. Green Room volunteers assist as escorts to our honored guests and celebrities; making sure everyone is comfortable and relaxed. Must have been a volunteer for a minimum of 3 parades.

Hospitality
Calling all social butterflies! Our hospitality committee hosts our very important guests by
assisting with food service, clean-up, ticket collection and crowd control. Get a fantastic view of the parade from the VIP section.

Merchandise
Do you have retail experience and love interacting with people? Join our merchandise team and pass out goodies to the crowd, sell parade souvenirs, or reward other hard-working volunteers like yourself as you distribute volunteer gift bags at the end of the Parade.

Poo Crew
Do you crave applause and attention? Join the equestrian waste removal squad and receive the loudest cheers on the route! Always a crowd favorite, Poo Crew teams will be assigned to an equestrian unit to monitor and remove animal waste. Grab friends or family and make a PooCrew of your own. Gloves and supplies provided.

Shuttle Escorts
Take a ride with our parade celebrities as a shuttle escort! Ride with them in the shuttle from the Green Room to their on-site locations and ensure that their journey is safe, successful, and enjoyable.

Staging
Our staging committee members are the first people to greet parade participants. Check-in
incoming units and direct them to their staging area. Then get ready to monitor, direct, and usher participants to the integration area and into the line-of-march.

Volunteer Check-in
Welcome all the wonderful volunteers who unselfishly give of their Thanksgiving morning to the McDonald's® Thanksgiving Parade. Team members will be responsible for checking in volunteers, instructing volunteers with their specific duties, directing them to their assigned volunteer area and outfitting each volunteer with our spiffy volunteer souvenir hat.

Gift Bag Committee
Are you a people person? Ever wonder how all those wonderful goodies are collected and packaged together for volunteers on Thanksgiving morning? Help recruit donations for the Volunteer Gift Bag and Raffle then attend the hottest party in town on Sunday, November 22nd, 2008. Enjoy some pizza and other goodies while stuffing gift bags for yourself and other Parade Volunteers."

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