News
THANK YOU
Thank you to all of our sponsors, all of our volunteers, all of the performers, the City of Chicago and all of their workers, WGN and each and every one of you for allowing us to come into your households to put on the 79th McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade.
You are the reason we do what we do, and we are honored to put on the parade each and every year.
Performance Applications Due by End of May
Are you interested in performing in front of millions of television viewers and hundreds of thousands of streetside spectators? Want to perform on LIVE, national television?
Time is running out to apply to perform in the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade in downtown Chicago. Chicago's Grand Holiday Tradition brings the nation's best marching bands, top theatrical performances, fabulous floats, elegrant equestrian units and fantastic celebrities to State Street for a three-hour extravaganza of free-family entertainment.
Internships available for Fall 2012
The Chicago Festival Association is proud to announce the availability of full-time and part-time internship opportunities for Fall of 2012. Please note, we are only able to take full-time interns for the semester.
Go behind the scenes with Parade choreographer Jason Laws
We have some special behind the scenes videos from Parade Choreographer Jason Laws. Jason is the brilliant mind behind several high-profile dance routines, with his clients being featured on MTV, VH1, BET, Lollapallooza, and more.
Raging Waves' "Turkey Day in July"
Here are some photos from Raging Waves' "Turkey Day In July." Members of our parade's volunteer leadership board, sponsor representatives, unit representatives and more were excited to enjoy a warm, sunny day at Illinois' largest water park.
2012 Performance Applications Now Online
We are proud to announce that 2012 Unit Applications are now available online.
Is your marching band one of the nation's best? Does your specialty unit provide jaw-dropping moments for its audiences'? Does your horse group exceed the beauty and elegance of our equestrian units?
We want to hear from you!
Click on this link to find out more about performing in the 2012 McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade.