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yesterday

96th Bud Billiken Parade Returns to South Side, Concludes With Back-to-School Festival

Local broadcasters aired a two-hour special under coordinated oversight from emergency management and public safety agencies

CHICAGO, USA – AUGUST 11:A team performs at the “Bud Billiken Parade” at Martin Luther King Drive in Chicago, United States on August 11, 2018. “Bud Billiken Parade” is an annual parade held since 1929 in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago, the largest African-American parade in the nation. (Photo by Bilgin S. Sasmaz/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
The South Shore Drill Team performs during the 96th Annual Bud Billiken Parade Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025 in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)
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Overview

  • The parade kicked off at 10 a.m. from 39th Street and Martin Luther King Drive with grand marshal LaRoyce Hawkins leading the procession south through Washington Park to Garfield Boulevard.
  • ABC7 Chicago, CBS News and NBC Chicago provided live TV, web and streaming coverage of the nation’s largest African American parade, drawing more than a million spectators.
  • Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management teamed up with police and fire departments to manage traffic, crowd control and on-site safety throughout the route.
  • Washington Park hosted a Back-to-School Festival until 4 p.m., offering performances, vendor booths, free haircuts, school supplies and connections to community organizations.
  • Organizers celebrated the parade’s 96-year history of promoting African American culture and unity while marking the start of the new school year