It's fantastic news that the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade will be going ahead this year! Aptly named "Where Grateful Hearts Gather"
Thanksgiving in Chicago is marked by the huge and enduring popular Thanksgiving Day parade on the city's famous State Street, where it has been taking place since 1934 and will be watched live by crowds of hundreds of thousands, with millions more watching on Tv and online via the free live stream. The total audience for this parade has been estimated at an incredible 4 million.
Particular features of this parade include large helium filled balloons that lead off the parade, most notably that of official parade mascot Teddy Turkey.
The parade also includes marching bands, dance groups, local sports teams, equestrian groups and around 100 floats. It is actually one parade that it is possible to apply to take part in, with applications taken via the event's official website.
Date
The Chicago parade is on Thanksgiving Day as always, which in 2021 falls on Thursday 25th November.
Start time
The parade steps off at 8am and will be completed by 11am.
Parade Route
The parade route is very straightforward, progressing down State Street from Congress Parkway to Randolph Street.
Best Viewing Spots
In terms of viewing points, the best advice is to get there early to secure a decent spot, with total viewer numbers estimated at up to half a million, people generally start arriving around 6am.
Popular areas tend to be on the eastern side of State Street, in between Congress Parkway and Harrison, and on one of the corners of State Street and Van Buren.
TV & Live Streaming
The Thanksgiving parade is one of the most widely watched in the United States, thanks in large part to the TV broadcast by Chicago channel WGN Channel 9.
This channel have also for several years now been live streaming the parade, allowing viewers to watch online from around the country, or indeed in the apparent absence of any geo-blocking, anywhere in the world:
Another viewing option you might like to consider for a different perspective on the parade is to check out some of the live streaming webcams in the area. There are several in excellent positions, including at Macy's right on State Street:
Hotels and Accommodation
If you're in Chicago for Thanksgiving then be aware that it is a chilly time of year so plan accordingly. The local hotels do get busy for this period so you will need to make your reservations as far is advance as possible to get the best prices. You can search and check availability for local hotels here.