The Bud Billiken Parade & Festival
About
This is the Charities’ premier event. Since its beginning, the parade has grown into an institution with participation from across generations and across the country. Hundreds of thousands have lined the parade route. Millions view festivities on television with a live broadcast on ABC7 Chicago from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. Today, the Parade consists of about 200 bands, drill teams, dance teams, cheerleaders, marching units, vehicles, floats, and more. It takes place every second Saturday in August in the historic Bronzeville community. Over $50,000 are provided in contributions to performing youth teams annually.
Many celebrities have appeared in the Bud Billiken® Parade. Chance the Rapper was the Grand Marshal for the 2017 parade. In recent years, the parade has enjoyed the company of then Senator Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, L.L. Cool J, Spike Lee, Michael Jordan, Frank Thomas, Donny Osmond, Queen Latifah, Tyler Perry, and more. In the past, the parade has experienced the presence of Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, The Supremes, Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Lionel Hampton, Roy Rogers, Lena Horne, and former President Harry S. Truman.