6abc Dunkin' Thanksgiving Day Parade facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 6abc Dunkin' Thanksgiving Day Parade
Parade logo with Dunkin''s co-sponsorship, 2011
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of episodes	104
Production
Production location(s)	20th and JFK Boulevard, and then across JFK Boulevard, around Philadelphia City Hall, across the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and ending at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Running time	3.5 hours (with commercials)
Production company(s)	1920–1985: Gimbels 1986–present: WPVI 1986–2007: Boscov's 2008–2010: IKEA 2011–present: Dunkin'
Release
Original network	6abc (WPVI-TV)
Original release	November 25, 1920 (1920-11-25) – present

The 6abc Dunkin' Thanksgiving Day Parade is a super fun event held every year in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It happens on Thanksgiving Day. This parade is shown on TV by WPVI-TV, which is an ABC station. It's sponsored by the restaurant chain Dunkin'.

This parade is the oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States. It started way back in 1920. It even continued during tough times like the Great Depression and World War II. The parade was first created by the Gimbels department store. Gimbels sponsored the parade until their store closed in 1986.

History of the Parade

Early Years: 20th Century

Parade logo during Boscov's title sponsorship

The parade's logo, introduced in 2008 with IKEA's sponsorship of the parade

The Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade began in 1920. It has been held every year since then. This makes it the longest-running Thanksgiving parade in the country. Just like other big parades, it has giant balloons and cool floats. You can also see high school marching bands and famous people.

The Gimbels department store first sponsored the parade in 1920. It was called the Gimbels Thanksgiving Day Parade. It kept going every year, even during World War II.

Ellis Gimbel, one of the founders of Gimbels stores, wanted his toy department to be very popular. He had over 50 store employees dress up in costumes. They walked in the very first Thanksgiving Day parade. The parade had floats and marchers went down Market Street. The parade ended with Santa Claus arriving at Gimbels' toy department. He even climbed a ladder from a Philadelphia Fire Department truck!

Other cities had similar holiday parades. Gimbels wanted to create something just as special. The Santa Claus Parade in Peoria, Illinois, started in 1887. It is the oldest continuous holiday parade. This parade inspired others, and the tradition continues today.

In 1986, Gimbels stores closed down. This made people wonder if the parade would continue. But then, Boscov's, a family-owned department store, stepped in. WPVI (6abc), the local ABC TV station, also helped. They are owned by The Walt Disney Company. Together, they took over sponsoring the parade. They renamed it the 6abc Boscov's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Recent Years: 21st Century

In 2004, the parade celebrated its 85th birthday. It had new balloons and floats. The opening show honored all the famous people who had been part of the parade. In 2005, it had the most stars ever. There were also eight new balloons, which was a record.

In 2007, the parade showed off a special float. It was the first parade float with a built-in ice rink! Disney's High School Musical: The Ice Tour used this cool rink.

In 2008, Boscov's department stores faced money problems. They stopped sponsoring the parade. Then, IKEA, a Swedish furniture company, became the new sponsor. IKEA has a store and its North American office nearby. They sponsored the parade from 2008 to 2010.

In 2011, Dunkin' Donuts announced they would sponsor the parade. Now, besides balloons and bands, the parade features ABC Network stars. You can also see actors from movies and TV shows. Disney characters and local TV personalities also join in. Members of the Action News team from 6abc are often there too.

In 2020, the parade was different because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was only shown on TV. The 6abc Dunkin' Thanksgiving Celebration had changes similar to the Macy's parade. The parade went back to its usual format in 2021.

Watching the Parade on TV

Since 1966, the parade has been shown on WPVI. Other TV stations across the United States also show it. People could also watch it online on 6abc.com. It was also available on ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu. Since 2023, the parade has been shown internationally on the ABC News YouTube page.

Good Morning America, ABC's national morning show, sends a reporter each year. They cover the fun events leading up to the parade. In past years, Good Morning America weather anchor Sam Champion helped host. More recently, current GMA weather anchor Ginger Zee has participated.

Jim O'Brien was the first host of the TV broadcast. Dave Roberts became a regular host in 1978. After Jim O'Brien passed away in 1983, WPVI's Lisa Thomas-Laury became Dave's co-host. They hosted the parade together for almost 20 years.

When Lisa Thomas-Laury had health problems in 2002, WPVI weather anchor Cecily Tynan took her place. In 2006, the parade was shown in high-definition for the first time. Lisa Thomas-Laury returned to help host the finale in 2005 and 2006. Dave Roberts retired from broadcasting in 2009. Lisa Thomas-Laury made a special appearance to celebrate his many years as host. The current hosts are Cecily Tynan and WPVI news anchor Rick Williams. Rick Williams replaced Dave Roberts.

In 2024, the parade was also streamed nationally. You could watch it on ABC News Live, Disney Plus, and Hulu. WPVI also shows live coverage of other Philadelphia parades. These include the Pulaski, Columbus, and Puerto Rican parades.

Parade Balloons

The parade features many amazing balloons. These balloons look like characters from popular children's books. They also look like toys, comic book heroes, and cartoon characters. You might see characters from TV shows like Sesame Street or from movies. Over the years, many balloons have been characters that also have toys and games.

Stars, Performers, and Acts

Besides the famous balloons and floats, the parade also has live music. You can see many other performances too. High school marching bands from all over the country participate. The TV show features performances by popular singers and bands. You can also see local celebrities and actors from ABC shows.

Since 1997, the parade has a special tap dance routine. It's called "FanTAPulous." More than 450 dancers from the East Coast perform together. Other special guests include winners of state and national beauty contests. Cheerleaders from major sports teams also join in. Casts from musicals performing in Philadelphia often perform. And of course, Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus are always there!

In 2024, the Philadelphia Ghostbusters joined the parade. They were with members of other Ghostbusters groups. These included the Delco Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters of New Jersey, and Diamond State Ghostbusters.

Marching Bands in the Parade

Helping Others: The Holiday Food Drive

For over 25 years, WPVI-TV has worked with the Boy Scouts of America Cradle of Liberty Council. They team up for the Scouting For Food program. Together, they organize one of the biggest food drives in the country. This program used to be called the 6abc/Boy Scouts Holiday Food Drive.

In 2006, the Holiday Food Drive collected 120,000 pounds of food! In 2010, Boy Scouts collected over 40,000 pounds of food. The food drive gives paper bags to homes and puts collection boxes in local stores. A few weeks later, the food is picked up. It is then given to people in need for Thanksgiving and other holidays.

The Boy Scouts also go to the parade route every year. They collect food from people watching the parade. The parade and food drive usually have the same sponsors. In 2011, Dunkin' Donuts also became a co-sponsor of the food drive. The food collected helps Philabundance, an organization that fights hunger.

See also

• Mummers Parade
• Wawa Welcome America
• Santa Claus parades
• List of Christmas and holiday season parades