ABC 7 Chicago will feature all the summer fun and back-to-school celebrations that are part of an annual Chicago tradition, the Bud Billiken Parade. The two-hour special broadcast of the 95th annual Bud Billiken Parade, the largest African American parade in the country, will be available live on ABC 7 and abc7chicago.com on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. It will also exclusively stream live on ABC 7's Connected TV Apps on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Roku.
ABC 7 Eyewitness News team members Cheryl Burton, Hosea Sanders and Val Warner will serve as the event's hosts in the broadcast booth, and Terrell Brown and Karen Jordan will be on the ground to cover all the action and excitement from the parade. ABC 7's Samantha Chatman, Leah Hope, Stephanie Wade and Tre Ward, as well as other ABC 7 staffers, will be riding atop the ABC 7 Chicago float, waving to the crowd.
This year's Bud Billiken Parade theme, "95 Years of Legacy," will showcase some of the best and brightest of Chicago talent. The back-to-school parade will feature heart-pumping performances from the local Jesse White Tumblers, South Shore Drill Team, Golden Knights Drill Team, Chi-Town Cheerleaders, Next Level Dance Team, MBM Dance Team and Little Ladies of Virtue, among others.
Actor, singer and Chicago native Jason Weaver will be honored as the 2024 Bud Billiken Parade grand marshal. Weaver is known for his performances in "The Chi," "ATL" and "Drumline."
"Jason Weaver is a hometown hero to our community and the city's youth. It is an honor to have him lead the parade this year. He brings energy and the motivation our students need as they prepare for the new school year," said Myiti Sengstacke-Rice, president and CEO of the Chicago Defender Charities Inc. and Bud Billiken Parade chair.
Joining Weaver for the festivities will be other local and national celebrities along with prominent dignitaries. The honorary grand marshals for 2024 include Hosea Sanders (ABC7 Chicago Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist), Jemal King (author, "9-to-5 Millionaire"; real estate investor), Keeana Barber (CEO, WBD Marketing), Latisha Waters (CEO, Empire Dance Company) and Che "Rhymefest" Smith (candidate for CPS Board District 10). Fourth Ward Alderman Lamont Robinson wrote a letter of support for the Bud Billiken Parade.
With over 1 million spectators, the Bud Billiken Parade holds the distinction of being the oldest and biggest African American parade in the nation. Every August, it has been a day of celebration and family gatherings, marking the beginning of the new school year for Chicago families.
According to John Idler, president and general manager of ABC 7, "We take great pride in broadcasting a 95-year tradition that has brought joy, inspiration and summer fun to generations of Chicagoans. Our long-standing partnership with the Chicago Defender Charities is what makes it also possible to shine a light on the importance of education and empowerment for students, the main mission of the Chicago Defender Charities."
"The Bud Billiken Parade has been a cornerstone of Chicago's vibrant cultural tapestry for 95 years," continued Sengstacke-Rice. "As we celebrate this milestone, we honor our rich heritage and the future generations who carry forward the spirit of unity and pride. This parade is more than just a tradition; it's a testament to the strength, resilience and boundless potential of our community. We acknowledge and appreciate our long-standing relationship with ABC 7 Chicago. For more than two decades, we have enjoyed working with the station and all of the members of the ABC 7 News team who feel like family to us at the Chicago Defender Charities."
The parade will kick off at 10 a.m. on 39th Street and Martin Luther King Drive, with grand marshal Weaver leading the procession south onto King Drive, through Washington Park and concluding at Garfield Boulevard.
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About ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago
ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago is the No. 1 local news source and most-watched television station in Chicago. With top-rated daily newscasts spanning decades and the largest social media presence in the market with more than 2.6 million Facebook followers, ABC7 Eyewitness News provides breaking news, investigative reporting, weather, politics, traffic and sports in the multiplatform space to Chicago, the suburbs and northwest Indiana. Named Best News Operation by the Associated Press for four consecutive years, ABC 7 Eyewitness News produces "Chicago Proud," a series of features that spotlights everyday heroes in and around Chicago. The station also produces the highest-rated New Year's Eve special in Chicago, holiday kickoff special "The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival," syndicated to a national audience, as well as the award-winning program series "Our Chicago," which showcases the city's diversity and highlights contributions in the Black, Hispanic, Asian, LGBTQ+ communities, among others. Every Friday, Windy City Weekend entertains while giving Chicagoans everything they need to know about what's happening in the city. ABC 7 is the only Chicago station producing and broadcasting parades representing Chicago's rich cultural history. In addition to producing town halls focused on current social issues, the station has a long and proud tradition of broadcasting political candidate debates, keeping Chicago's electorate informed. ABC7's outreach efforts include annual partnerships with the Red Cross for life-saving blood drives, one of the biggest one-day drives in the country and, most recently, spearheading an effort to raise more than $1.5 million for area food pantries.
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