The Grosse Pointe Thanksgiving parade will make its annual appearance on Fri. Nov. 23rd to start off the holiday season. The parade will be a family-friendly event with a festive and positive environment.

Students, young children and adults are all welcome to attend the parade, and some even participate in walking in it for their sports teams, clubs or organizations.

Kate George ’20 has walked in the parade in years past for various different reasons, but this year she will be going with the Detroit Boat Club.

“I’m excited for the parade and I’m looking forward to walking with my team since we’ve all gotten really close this season,” George said.

She is also looking forward to the upcoming season and sees the parade as a start to Christmas time.

Katelyn Carion ’22 has been going to the parade every year since she was young, and anticipates continuing that trend.

“I used to go because it was the first time of the year Santa Claus came,” Carion said. “Now, I think it’s fun to see my friends walking and all of the kids having fun.”

Carion recommends this parade and says that it accommodates all ages.

Grosse Pointe city manager, Pete Dame, partners with the Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce to make sure that the parade runs smoothly.

“They have some really good floats, some of which are used in the Detroit Thanksgiving parade,” Dame said. “They have lots of local people and schools and organizations in the parade, so it’s a true community event.”

Dame also emphasizes the tradition that the parade encompasses and says that many have been attending for years.

“It’s a family event, it’s a family tradition going back 43 years,” Dame said. “It’s very fun and festive, kids that grew up in Grosse Pointe now take their kids to the parade.”

When Santa gets out of his sleigh he is handed the keys to the city so that he can come visit the children on Christmas Eve, according to Dame.

The parade will take place on Kercheval from the Hill all the way to the Village. It’s a family event, and anybody is welcome to attend.