# Chicago Thanksgiving Parade (Downtown State Street) > Event for families in the Chicago–Naperville–Elgin area (IL / IN). Times are Central Time. - When: Thu, Nov 26 · 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM - Where: State Street (Loop, Downtown Chicago), State St & Ida B. Wells Dr, Chicago, IL 60605 - Ages: All ages welcome; stroller-friendly parade route; arrive early by 7:15 AM for prime curb seating - Price: Free public sidewalk viewing; VIP reserved bleacher seating passes available from $70 - Organizer: Chicago Event Management / Chicago Thanksgiving Parade - Official page: https://www.chicagothanksgivingparade.com/tickets/ - Last checked: Wed, Nov 4 Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Nov 11, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-10), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/chicago/activities/chicago-thanksgiving-parade-downtown-state-street--listing-a456cb505c8da0768886544b ## About A cherished Chicago holiday tradition since 1934, the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade marches down iconic State Street from Ida B. Wells Drive north to Randolph Street through the heart of the Loop. Families flock to the sidewalks to marvel at towering giant character helium balloons, world-class marching bands from across the nation, festive equestrian units, cultural performance troupes, and the official appearance of Teddy Turkey and Santa Claus. 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