Nov. 27, 2025

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

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

Send us a text 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, an...

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Season 6

Send us a text

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
WEBVTT

00:01:04.020 --> 00:01:07.700
Here we are, Radio Freeland at the Bit Network.

00:01:07.700 --> 00:01:10.099
We're in downtown Detroit today.

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At the 99th annual Thanksgiving Day Parade.

00:01:14.900 --> 00:01:22.020
This parade has been going on for almost twice as long as some of you have been alive.

00:01:22.020 --> 00:01:25.060
But as you can see, it's quite festive here today.

00:01:25.060 --> 00:01:26.740
There's lots of floats.

00:01:26.740 --> 00:01:28.500
There's lots of fun to be had.

00:01:28.500 --> 00:01:37.299
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.

00:01:37.299 --> 00:01:41.859
It will culminate in a Lions victory.

00:01:41.859 --> 00:01:44.500
Have a happy Thanksgiving, everybody.

00:01:44.500 --> 00:01:52.500
There is the Motown Flow, Pittsville, USA, which is making a new museum in Detroit.

00:01:52.500 --> 00:02:02.340
So this is my favorite part of the Detroit parade.

00:02:02.340 --> 00:02:04.180
These are the Detroit legends.

00:02:04.180 --> 00:02:07.140
All of these what they call big heads.

00:02:07.140 --> 00:02:22.579
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.

00:02:22.579 --> 00:02:40.500
How are you guys doing?

00:02:40.740 --> 00:02:41.620
Alright, how are you?

00:02:42.579 --> 00:02:43.620
Good, same to you.

00:02:43.620 --> 00:02:49.220
So they have the the turkey over here came.

00:02:49.220 --> 00:02:51.939
The turkey balloon can come down.

00:02:51.939 --> 00:02:54.180
I hope they don't need him.

00:02:54.180 --> 00:02:56.339
Anyway, here we are not on Detroit.

00:02:56.339 --> 00:03:01.860
We're here at the 99th annual Detroit Thanksgiving parade, and I have with me today.

00:03:02.500 --> 00:03:03.699
My name is Mary Kay.

00:03:03.939 --> 00:03:05.300
And where are you from, Mary?

00:03:05.540 --> 00:03:10.740
Um originally from Detroit, born and raised, and I live in Dearborn now.

00:03:11.060 --> 00:03:11.379
Very good.

00:03:11.379 --> 00:03:14.019
You're not with Mary Kay because medicine, you're not the lady, are you?

00:03:14.259 --> 00:03:14.819
I am not.

00:03:14.819 --> 00:03:21.139
Almost like her, except in Cadillac and not the money, but otherwise just like her.

00:03:21.459 --> 00:03:23.779
So you're a volunteer in this year's parade?

00:03:23.779 --> 00:03:24.339
I am.

00:03:24.339 --> 00:03:26.180
And how long have you been volunteering?

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Since 2007.

00:03:28.420 --> 00:03:30.899
And what do you do?

00:03:30.899 --> 00:03:37.540
Um, I'm a volunteer in whatever job they feel is necessary.

00:03:37.540 --> 00:03:42.579
This year I was part of the concierge team and I escorted one of our grandmars.

00:03:43.139 --> 00:03:46.899
And what's your earliest memories of the Detroit Greek since you were raised here?

00:03:46.899 --> 00:04:00.420
Now we have the Detroit Jazz Festival, the world's largest free jazz festival, held here every year in September on Labor Day.

00:04:00.420 --> 00:04:05.620
Festival has five or six stages.

00:04:05.620 --> 00:04:11.860
Some of the greatest jazz artists from around the world gather in Detroit.

00:04:11.860 --> 00:04:16.819
People come from around the world, come and visit Detroit and listen to jazz.

00:04:16.819 --> 00:04:22.100
Pittsville, USA, which is making a new museum in Detroit.

00:04:22.100 --> 00:04:39.699
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.

00:05:10.339 --> 00:05:22.500
Everybody's Christmas is coming up with the answer to the press that's made to the game.

00:05:45.699 --> 00:05:54.899
So the next group that comes along is Rosie the Riveter, named 1930s, Flint, Sitto.

00:05:54.899 --> 00:06:00.019
So for many of you, you might think of Detroit as a place that doesn't look anything like this.

00:06:00.019 --> 00:06:02.019
It has come around.

00:06:02.019 --> 00:06:04.579
Uh the parade now's wound up.

00:06:04.579 --> 00:06:20.019
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.

00:06:20.019 --> 00:06:23.779
It was difficult to get downtown because there wasn't much around.

00:06:23.779 --> 00:06:28.659
And uh they've done a magnificent job here in Detroit, Michigan.

00:06:28.659 --> 00:06:37.139
Now here we got Santa Claus coming! He's on the other stereotype.

00:06:37.139 --> 00:06:45.300
Thanksgiving.

00:06:45.300 --> 00:06:49.379
We have Santa has finally came to town.

00:06:49.379 --> 00:06:56.419
It's dismantled to some here.

00:06:56.419 --> 00:07:07.620
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.

00:07:07.620 --> 00:07:09.459
It's quite a show down here.

00:07:09.459 --> 00:07:13.860
Many thousands of people coming for the annual 99th.

00:07:13.860 --> 00:07:17.860
Detroit Thanksgiving holiday parade.

00:07:17.860 --> 00:07:24.019
So we have the 99th annual Thanksgiving parade, it's in the books.

00:07:24.019 --> 00:07:28.819
As you can see, the people have left.

00:07:28.819 --> 00:07:39.699
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.

00:07:39.699 --> 00:07:43.620
As you can see, this was a crowded street with the floats.

00:07:43.620 --> 00:07:51.939
Now everyone is left to go back to find their turkey dinners.

00:07:51.939 --> 00:07:54.659
So thank you for watching.

00:07:54.819 --> 00:08:00.500
This is uh this is the Mitten Channel.

00:08:00.819 --> 00:08:04.740
Arthur Bush wishing you all very happy Thanksgiving.

00:08:04.740 --> 00:08:16.019
So as we walk home back to get Thanksgiving dinner, we had another nice a nice time here in Detroit.

00:08:16.019 --> 00:08:18.659
Brittany, the baby, and Hendrik.

00:08:18.659 --> 00:08:23.379
Now it's off for Thanksgiving dinner.

00:08:23.379 --> 00:08:26.180
This year it's gonna be very unique.

00:08:26.180 --> 00:08:27.860
It's going to be pizza.

00:08:27.860 --> 00:08:30.899
Which sounds kind of crazy to me.

00:08:30.899 --> 00:08:34.340
Anyway, that's it for now.

00:08:34.340 --> 00:08:37.060
See you all later.

00:08:37.060 --> 00:08:53.779
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.

00:08:53.779 --> 00:08:54.980
Goodbye.