6abc Dunkin' Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade
abc dunkin thanksgiving day parade annual thanksgiving day parade held philadelphia pennsylvania currently sponsored broadcast abc ownedandoperated television station wpvitv cosponsorship agreement restaurant chain dunkin currently oldest thanksgiving parade united state held great depression world war ii created gimbels department store gimbels thanksgiving day parade held department store closed operation annual philadelphia thanksgiving day parade began longest continuously held thanksgiving day parade country like parade type feature balloon float high school marching band celebrity gimbels department store sponsored parade gimbels thanksgiving day parade continued annually despite world war ii elli gimbel one founder gimbels department store wanted toy land destination holiday shopper everywhere store employee dressed costume sent walk first thanksgiving day parade parade featured float marcher paraded market street parade finale featuring santa claus arriving eighthfloor toy department gimbels climbed ladder philadelphia fire department ladder truck gimbels emulated holiday parade already existence santa claus parade peoria illinois held day thanksgiving oldest continuously held holiday parade country since sponsorship frederick block schipper block later renamed block kuhl department store block example led founding similar parade city parade tradition continues today batus inc owned gimbels unable find buyer store gimbels chain liquidated leaving fate country oldest parade air boscovs familyowned department store based reading pennsylvania wpvi abc abc affiliate philadelphia owned walt disney company took sponsorship parade renamed event abc boscovs thanksgiving day parade parade celebrated th anniversary new balloon float opening number paid tribute celebrity participated history star history well eight new balloon ever parade presented first parade float builtin ice rink disney high school musical ice tour utilized rink august boscovs department store filed chapter bankruptcy protection planned close several store due financial problem widespread recession gave sponsorship parade swedish furniture manufacturer ikea store north american home office nearby conshohocken pennsylvania succeeded boscovs parade sponsor year june dunkin donut announced would sponsor parade addition balloon marching band show feature abc network celebrity star stage screen disney character local personality including member action news team due covid pandemic parade held televisiononly event abc dunkin thanksgiving celebration featured modification similar made macys america thanksgiving parade parade returned traditional format since parade broadcast wpvi well simulcast television station throughout united state viewer worldwide could also watch telecast station website abccom good morning america abc national morning news program sends reporter event year cover festivity leading parade recently good morning america thenweather anchor sam champion participated hosting marking th year participation recent year current gma weekday weather anchor ginger zee participated hosting jim obrien program first host dave robert became perennial host upon joining station sudden death obrien wpvis lisa thomaslaury took rein roberts cohost together robert thomaslaury hosted parade nearly year thomaslaury began experience health problem wpvi weather anchor cecily tynan replaced marked program first highdefinition telecast since return wpvi thomaslaury helped host finale station announced robert would retire broadcasting december year thomaslaury made special appearance celebrate roberts year host current hosting team tynan wpvi news anchor rick williams replaced robert wpvi also broadcast annual live coverage philadelphia pulaski columbus puerto rican parade balloon created represent wide variety character popular childrens book including folk tale toy comic book animated movie cartoon tv series sesame street film genre increasingly year balloon featured character tiein marketing toy game accessory addition wellknown balloon float parade also feature live music performance highschool marching band across country participate television broadcast feature performance famous singer band well appearance local celebrity actor abc show since parade also featured tap routine called fantapulous dancer east coast special guest include state national beauty contest winner cheerleader major sport team cast musical performing philadelphia santa mr claus year wpvitv partnered boy scout america cradle liberty council scouting food program collectively coordinate one massive food drive nation recent year called abcboy scout holiday food drive holiday food drive amassed lb food boy scout troop effort led collection pound food towards cumulative total food drive distributes paper bag resident home collection box local store region week later picked sent help need thanksgiving end year holiday boy scout also go parade route every year collect food spectator parade food drive sponsor generally june dunkin donut announced would also cosponsor food drive proceeds food drive currently benefit philabundance mummer parade wawa welcome america santa claus parade list christmas holiday season parade official website