Inside Detroit’s 99th Thanksgiving Parade:On-the-Ground Coverage by Arthur Busch

Join Arthur Busch on location in downtown Detroit as he takes you inside the magic of the 99th Annual America’s Thanksgiving Parade. In this special field-report episode, Arthur walks Woodward Avenue, captures the sights and sounds of the morning, and talks directly with the people who make this iconic tradition come alive.

From families bundled up in the cold, to lifelong Detroiters describing what the parade means to them, to first-timers experiencing the floats, balloons, and Big Heads with wide-eyed excitement—this episode brings you the street-level spirit of a Detroit Thanksgiving.

Arthur reflects on the city’s resilience, the legacy of the parade, and why moments like this matter to Michigan’s identity. If you couldn’t make it downtown, this episode puts you right there at the curbside.

🎧 Listen for:

• Candid conversations with parade-goers
• Atmosphere and live sounds from Woodward Avenue
• Arthur’s insights on Detroit’s holiday traditions and community pride
• A snapshot of Detroit’s energy heading into the holiday season

A warm, uplifting Michigan story—perfect for Thanksgiving week.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:32

Here we are, Radio Freeland at the Bit Network. We're in downtown Detroit today. At the 99th annual Thanksgiving Day Parade. This parade has been going on for almost twice as long as some of you have been alive. But as you can see, it's quite festive here today. There's lots of floats. There's lots of fun to be had. Families, all kinds of people, and the best about the parade is that the Detroit Lions will be playing at the end of the at the end of the parade. It will culminate in a Lions victory. Have a happy Thanksgiving, everybody. There is the Motown Flow, Pittsville, USA, which is making a new museum in Detroit. So this is my favorite part of the Detroit parade. These are the Detroit legends. All of these what they call big heads. They have one for the mayor, one for uh Agordi Howe from the hockey fame, baseball players, and of course, my favorite one, Ernie Harwell. How are you guys doing?

Arthur Busch: 2:08

Alright, how are you?

Speaker 1: 2:10

Good, same to you. So they have the the turkey over here came. The turkey balloon can come down. I hope they don't need him. Anyway, here we are not on Detroit. We're here at the 99th annual Detroit Thanksgiving parade, and I have with me today.

Mary Kay: 2:30

My name is Mary Kay.

Speaker 1: 2:32

And where are you from, Mary?

Mary Kay: 2:33

Um originally from Detroit, born and raised, and I live in Dearborn now.

Speaker 1: 2:39

Very good. You're not with Mary Kay because medicine, you're not the lady, are you?

Mary Kay: 2:42

I am not. Almost like her, except in Cadillac and not the money, but otherwise just like her.

Speaker 1: 2:49

So you're a volunteer in this year's parade? I am. And how long have you been volunteering?

Mary Kay: 2:54

Since 2007. And what do you do? Um, I'm a volunteer in whatever job they feel is necessary. This year I was part of the concierge team and I escorted one of our grandmars.

Speaker 1: 3:11

And what's your earliest memories of the Detroit Greek since you were raised here? Now we have the Detroit Jazz Festival, the world's largest free jazz festival, held here every year in September on Labor Day. Festival has five or six stages. Some of the greatest jazz artists from around the world gather in Detroit. People come from around the world, come and visit Detroit and listen to jazz. Pittsville, USA, which is making a new museum in Detroit. Standing here outside of Comerica Park, but they built this area out quite a bit, and uh it's getting part of the glitz and glamour of downtown Detroit.

Arthur Busch: 4:38

Everybody's Christmas is coming up with the answer to the press that's made to the game.

Speaker 1: 5:13

So the next group that comes along is Rosie the Riveter, named 1930s, Flint, Sitto. So for many of you, you might think of Detroit as a place that doesn't look anything like this. It has come around. Uh the parade now's wound up. We're to the end, but Detroit's a very important city in Michigan, and that's why we're here today to show you the Thanksgiving parade, some of what's happened in an area that years ago was hard to walk. It was difficult to get downtown because there wasn't much around. And uh they've done a magnificent job here in Detroit, Michigan. Now here we got Santa Claus coming! He's on the other stereotype. Thanksgiving. We have Santa has finally came to town. It's dismantled to some here. Uh they take the traffic lights down, they lock off some of the roads, uh, and now the task begins to put the place back together again. It's quite a show down here. Many thousands of people coming for the annual 99th. Detroit Thanksgiving holiday parade. So we have the 99th annual Thanksgiving parade, it's in the books. As you can see, the people have left. There is all that's left now is to take down all the preparations that took days and weeks to put together here in downtown Detroit. As you can see, this was a crowded street with the floats. Now everyone is left to go back to find their turkey dinners. So thank you for watching.

Arthur Busch: 7:22

This is uh this is the Mitten Channel.

Speaker 1: 7:28

Arthur Bush wishing you all very happy Thanksgiving. So as we walk home back to get Thanksgiving dinner, we had another nice a nice time here in Detroit. Brittany, the baby, and Hendrik. Now it's off for Thanksgiving dinner. This year it's gonna be very unique. It's going to be pizza. Which sounds kind of crazy to me. Anyway, that's it for now. See you all later. I'll leave you with a few scenes from the city of Detroit as we walk back down Woodward Avenue here, Detroit, where we have been enjoying the 99th annual Detroit Thanksgiving Day Parade. Goodbye.