I’ve experienced a first. Well, two firsts. I was able to attend the Bud Billiken Parade here in Chicago, which is, for those of you who are just hearing about it, the oldest black parade in the entire country. It’s usually held right before the back to school season here in the city. It’s away for the residents of the city to rally around the youth of the area, and be encouraging right before the start of the school year.
This year, I had the honor of riding VIP style in the Bud Billiken parade, on the BMOA (Black McDonald’s Operators Association) float with the trifecta, and we had a blast! It was an early start in the morning, and we all met in the Bronzeville area of the city to get lined up and acquainted with the other family that was riding on the float with us. I was able to meet Chanel of Mommy Makin Moves, and her husband and son, and we had a great time getting our parade wave on! We were also on the float with Ronald McDonald himself, and the crowd LOVED him. He smiled and responded to calls out of his name the entire duration!
I will say that my first time participating in the parade was great. The weather was perfect, the music was wonderful, and the parade goers were warm and welcoming. It was nice to see all ages and races present on a Saturday morning SMILING. There were so many grills going that my stomach was growling while waving away.
The parade starts in the Bronzeville area of the city, and ends in Washington Park. It goes by a lot faster than anticipated too. Given that this is the first time I’ve been in formation since my Navy days, I was pleasantly surprised. After the parade ended, we had a chance to hang outside of the Ronald McDonald house, which was created to provide a place for parents of ill children to stay while their child received medical attention at the local hospital.
Mr. Houseful has always participated in feeding families at the Ronald McDonald house on the north side of Chicago with his job, and has always had a positive experience from it. I would like to volunteer more to help make the stays in these houses a little easier for the families that do need to use the services.
Before you enter my giveaway, check us out on TELEVISION!
In partnership with BMOA, I’ll be giving away gift cards to 5 winners. Enter below on the Rafflecopter.
Yep! We attend the Memorial Day parade when we can.
Yes, I’ve attended several here in Chicago as well as some in the surrounding suburbs. They are always fun and meaningful, no matter our age or the occasion.
We always go to the 4th of July parade here, its so much fun!
No, I’ve never attended a parade before.
The Summerville Christmas Parade
No, I have never attended a parade.
I have only attended the mag mile parade the week before Thanksgiving….a few times. Every year I say I want to try the st. pat’s parade and the Thanksgiving Day one. There is always next year!
This sounds like so much fun! I am glad you got to participate!
Our small town has a volunteer fire department. Every year in March they have Fulton Oysterfest. All the money raised goes to the fire department and they have the most awesome small town parade and it’s only 3 blocks from our house. So we take our lawn chairs and walk down.
We attended the Strawberry Fest parade in Cottage Grove, MN
I don’t love trying to mind babies while navigating crowds, so I avoid parades. KC has some fun ones, though.
No I haven’t been to any recently, except at sesame place
We have a St Patrick’s parade every year. Nice parade but can be chilly.
We always go to the 4th of July parade here, its so much fun!
Yes, we attended our town’s St. Patrick’s day parade
independence day columbus ohio
I was at the Bud Billiken parade too!! I went with my niece this year. We go every year and live in the suburbs of Chicago.
I have never attended a parade.
I used to take my kids to the parade downtown at Thanksgiving!!
Our town has a Halloween parade every year. I really enjoy going to it.
I attend our town’s Founders Day Parade every September.
Donner Lake Truckee CA 4th of July parade is very patriotic and inspiring. Love attending every year.
We just went to a flag day parade.
Yes we always attend the Carnival Parade every year!
I go to the Memorial Day parade in my town.
I am from New Orleans, so yes lots of parades!
No, I’ve never attended a parade before.
No, I have not attended a parade yet.
I love our Christmas parade! its my favorite, and it really puts me in the Christmas spirit!
I do go to local parades on occasion. However, I live in a very small town, so there really isn’t a whole lot to them.
I’ve been to the APS Christmas Light parade
Rodeo Days Parade in Edgewood IA
We live in a small rural area and the big parades are the Homecoming and Christmas parade There is also a Christmas parade of decorated boats on the Suwanee River
Sadly, no. I’ve attended one parade, ever, but it wasn’t in my home city or state.
No, I haven’t yet.
I haven’t attended a parade since I was a kid. I went to a parade in NYC with my dad when I was about 9 years old and we were standing next to Telly Savalas (Kojak).
We go to a christmas lighting in our town.
no i haven’t
We always go to the Chritmas Parade of Lights
We go to our annual Christmas parade in town.
We’ve attended the fourth of July parade a few times.
I have attended several parades including the annual Holidazzle parade and the 4th of July parade.
Not in this town yet!
I have attend a parade in my hometown. A Rodeo parade.
Our little town has a fourth of July parade and it’s so much fun! 🙂
no, I have not
No I have not, I haven’t been to one since I was a child.
I’ve attended an Independence Day parade in my town.
I always go to the fourth of July parade in m neighborhood
We have attended the Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day parade in our town.
OUR TOWN HAS A CHRISTMAS PARADE EVERY YEAR
been to several parades in my town. The Christmas parade, Oak Leaf festival parade etc..
Yes of course – recently we went to our 4th of july parade.
i have attended the Anaheim Halloween Parade. so much fun!
I’ve attended the Disneyland parade.
We have a yearly parade that we attend in our town.
I’ve attended the Toronto gay parade
We usually go to the memorial day parade.
Not it my town but the last time I did attend a parade was last summer in a neighboring town.
I have always taken my children to the Christmas parade and I have attended the Memorial Day parade one time.
Yes, we always attend our town’s Christmas parade!
I have not attended a parade in our town. We recently moved so hopefully we get to attend one soon.
My hometown is so small we don’t really have any parades
We usually go to the 4th of July parde, this yeaar we also went to the ‘Taking Back our Town’ parade (a unity parade proomoting the idea of stopping violence) the Irish parade.
I haven’t attended a parade in my town I live in now. We attended the Christmas Parades in our home town every year.
We go to the 4th of July parade every year!
I have never attended a parade before, but I’d love too!
I attended our local christmas parade
Oh yes, we always attend both our Homecoming Parade and our annual Christmas Parade!
No I haven’t been to one
We moved recently so we haven’t been around for any parades. But I think there may be one in Sept that we can attend.
We always attended the Memorial Day parade. My sons marched in it either for the school band or one of the other organizations they belong to.
we live in a little town and they have 1 a year that we usually attend,thank you for the chance to win
Yes, we have a rose parade.
yes 4th of July!
I used to march in my hometown parade every summer, I miss it!
the Carnival Parade
I went to almost every parade in Chicago from when I was little until about 25 years old when I moved out of Chicago. I really miss going to them because they were really fun. I’m moving back to Chicago next year and I will be taking my grandson and continuing the tradition,
So neat I didn’t even know they had all those mcdonalds places to visit looks like a blast weve never been to the parade
I have never attended one
We don’t ever gave parades locally
We always do the yearly faire and parade for our town 🙂
I live in a small town, so I’ve been to a few parades here. Nothing big though. I’m a huge parade fan!
4th of july when i was a kid
No I haven’t attended a parade here.
We usually attend the 4th of July parade.
No I haven’t
I have not attended a parade
It’s been awhile!
We usually go to the Christmas parade in my town, and as a teenrcheager, I marched in the parade as well.
Yes, I attended the Memorial Day parade in my town.
We went to the Lincoln days parade in our hometown last year.
I have attended the Mardi Gras Parade in my town.
I have gone to our Holiday Boat Parade a few times when I was younger.
We attend the annual parade for the town celebration/fair
My favorite parades in my town is our Mardi Gras parades we have every year. I love trying to catch the beads and food and floats are absolutely beautiful!
I live in NYC so growing up we always went tot he Thanksgiving Day parade. Now I watch it on tv every Thanksgiving.
I have many times…Easter parade was always a big one in my neighborhood.
I’ve attended the Parade of Lights parade here in Denver.
Thanks for the contest.