Chicago Thanksgiving Parade

Chicago’s Thanksgiving parade runs up State Street on Thursday, November 26, 2026. The Chicago Thanksgiving Parade Foundation, which produces it with a small staff and volunteers, lists a 7:45 a.m. step-off at Ida B. Wells Drive and a run from 8 to 10 a.m. north to Randolph Street. This is the 92nd parade, according to the organizer.

Expect giant helium balloons, floats, high school and college marching bands, dance troupes, acrobats and equestrian units. The organizer says the best free viewing is along State Street between Ida B. Wells and Washington; the blocks between Washington and Randolph hold reserved seating for parade sponsors, and paid VIP seats with restroom access are sold in advance.

CBS Chicago carries the parade live from 8 a.m., leading into the Bears pregame, so out-of-town family can watch from the couch.

Plan your visit

Every Loop L station puts you within a block of the route: Jackson, Monroe and Lake on the Red Line and Blue Line, Harold Washington Library and Adams/Wabash on the elevated lines. State Street closes early Thursday morning and garages on Wabash and Dearborn are open but pricey; transit is simplest. Curbside spots fill by 7 a.m. near Van Buren and Jackson; the south end near Ida B. Wells has room later. Dress for a cold two-hour stand and bring a thermos.