ABC 7 Chicago will broadcast the 97th annual Bud Billiken Parade live Saturday, August 8, bringing one of Chicago’s most enduring traditions to viewers across the city and beyond.
The two-hour special will air from 10 a.m. to noon on ABC 7/WLS-TV, ABC7Chicago.com and the station’s streaming and digital platforms.
ABC 7 Eyewitness News anchors Cheryl Burton, Hosea Sanders and Val Warner will host from the broadcast booth, while Terrell Brown and Karen Jordan cover the action along the parade route. Samantha Chatman and other ABC 7 staffers will ride aboard the station’s float.
Chicago native, actor, model and entrepreneur LisaRaye McCoy will serve as this year’s Grand Marshal. McCoy is best known for her roles in The Players Club and Single Ladies, as well as her tenure as first lady of the Turks and Caicos.
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Celebrating 97 years, the Bud Billiken Parade will once again showcase a wide range of Chicago talent, including the 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.
The parade, which also kicks off the annual Back-to-School Festival, is recognized as the oldest and largest African American parade in the United States and has long served as an end-of-summer celebration for Chicago families.
“We are proud to be a part of this 97-year tradition, which has brought joy, inspiration and summer fun to generations of Chicagoans,” said John Idler, General Manager, ABC7/WLS-TV Chicago.
“Our long-standing partnership with Chicago Defender Charities also allows us to spotlight the importance of education and student empowerment, which is central to the organization’s mission.”
The Bud Billiken Parade steps off at 10 a.m. at 39th Street and Martin Luther King Drive, with McCoy leading the procession south on King Drive, through Washington Park and concluding at Garfield Boulevard.
