Guide To America's Thanksgiving Parade In Detroit
DETROIT (CBS Detroit) - The 86th America's Thanksgiving Parade, one of the country's oldest and most celebrated parades, will kick-off on the corner of Woodward and Mack on Thursday, November 22 at 10 a.m. and end at Woodward Avenue and Congress in downtown Detroit.
Then called the Thanksgiving Detroit Parade, the event was first broadcast in 1931 on radio station WWJ.
2012 Parade Who's Who
- Grand Marshals Congressman John Dingell and Debbie Dingell
Celebrity Appearances:
2012 USA Olympic Champions
• Alex Morgan-US Women's National Soccer Team, 2012 Olympic gold medalist
• Nathan Adrian-American swimmer, record holder and three-time Olympic medalist
• Allison Schmitt-American swimmer and six time Olympic medalist
• Tucker Dupree-One of the top blind swimmers in America, gold medalist and record holder
• Peter Vanderkaay-American swimmer and four-time Olympic gold medalist
• Tyler Clary-American swimmer, Olympic gold medalist and Olympic record holder
Parade Celebrities:
• Ashanti-Grammy award-winning singer, songwriter, actor and author
• Ray Scott-Detroit Pistons great and Michigan Sports Hall of Famer
• Jason Earles-Actor and comedian known for his roles in Disney's Hanna Montana & Kickin' It
• Mateen Cleaves-Michigan State University's only three-time All-American in basketball
• Dave Hester-Reality TV star of A&E's Storage Wars
• Lomas Brown-Detroit Lions' great and one of the NFL's premier offensive tackles
• Miss Michigan America Angela Venditti
• Santa Claus
• Miss Michigan USA Jaclyn Schultz
• Hooper
• Roary
• PAWS
• Strawberry Shortcake
• Clownie
• Despicable Me II Minions
•And everyone's favorite ... Santa Claus
Other highlights of the event include the 30th annual Turkey Trot, Michigan's largest 10K run paced for record numbers this year with 20,000 participants expected. The race also includes the 7th Annual Strategic Staffing Solutions Stuffing Strut (5K) and 10th Annual Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Mashed Potato Mile. (Please note: Grandstand seat tickets for the parade are sold out).
Coming & Going
If you plan to drive anywhere near Woodward on Wednesday or Thursday you might want to check this list of street closures.
The best way to get down to the route is to use the park and ride shuttle. Park your vehicles and ride a DDOT shuttle starting at 7 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Parking is free at the following park and ride locations.
- Eastland Mall (Beaconsfield entrance) - arrives downtown at Library between Gratiot and Grand River
- Fairlane Mall – arrives downtown at Adams Street at Clifford
- Northland Mall (Greenfield entrance) - arrives downtown at Adams Street at Clifford
Fares: (exact change please!)
- Adult: $2 each way
- Youth: (18 years and under) - $1 each way
- Children: (under age 5 or 44 inches tall) - Free (limit three, accompanied by an adult)
Recommended parking areas:
Cadillac Farmer $10
1025 Farmer
6 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Ford Underground Garage $10
30 East Jefferson
5 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Joe Louis Arena Garage $5
900 W. Jefferson
4:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Get complete parade day shuttle, bus and People Mover information at this link.
Parade Route
The parade starts on Woodward North of Henry and travels through downtown to Jefferson Ave. Click here for a map.
Know Before You Go
The weather for Thanksgiving Day will be unseasonably warm -- but there's nothing worse than being cold during the parade. Make sure you dress in layers, as it will be cooler early in the morning. Check forecast by CBS 62. (More weather details here).
