The 97th annual Bud Billiken Parade and Back-to-School Festival returns to Chicago’s South Side on Saturday, August 8, stepping off at 10 a.m. from 39th Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and traveling south through Bronzeville to 51st Street before entering Washington Park. The event, organized by Chicago Defender Charities, remains the nation’s largest African American parade and the second largest parade in the United States after the Rose Bowl. Chicago-native actress, model, and entrepreneur LisaRaye McCoy will serve as Grand Marshal, leading up to 300 participating groups including marching bands, drill teams, floats, dance troupes, and youth organizations along the two-mile route.
- The parade steps off at 10 a.m. from 39th Street and King Drive, traveling south to 51st Street and into Washington Park; the full event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free and open to the public
- LisaRaye McCoy, known for roles in The Players Club and Single Ladies and as the former first lady of the Turks and Caicos, will serve as this year’s Grand Marshal
- ABC7 Chicago will broadcast the parade live from 10 a.m. to noon, with anchors Cheryl Burton, Hosea Sanders, and Val Warner hosting from the broadcast booth
- The Back-to-School Festival in Washington Park follows the parade with live performances, an employment fair, the Red Bull Setlist Rap Booth, and family activities
- The Royal Court Coronation took place August 3, with children earning float positions by writing essays on leadership; Royal Court members carry a yearlong commitment to community service and outreach
Nearly a Century of Tradition on King Drive
The Bud Billiken Parade traces its origins to 1929 and Robert S. Abbott, founder of the Chicago Defender, the newspaper that played a pivotal role in the Great Migration by encouraging millions of African Americans to leave the rural South for cities in the North. Abbott created the parade to honor the Defender’s newsboys and the broader community of young Black Chicagoans who sold copies on South Side street corners. The event was named for the Billiken, a charm doll from the early 1900s considered a guardian of children and a symbol of good luck.
Over nearly a century, the parade has hosted dignitaries and cultural figures including President Harry S. Truman, Duke Ellington, Oprah Winfrey, and Barack Obama before he became president. The tradition is now led by Myiti Sengstacke-Rice, Abbott’s great-grandniece and the president and CEO of Chicago Defender Charities, who represents the fourth generation of family leadership over the organization. The parade’s continuity across those generations reflects its deep institutional roots in Bronzeville and its role as one of the South Side’s most enduring cultural anchors.
The Route and How to Get There
The parade route runs south along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive from 39th Street to 51st Street, then proceeds into Washington Park for the Back-to-School Festival. Choose Chicago recommends arriving early to claim viewing spots along the boulevard, where chairs and blankets are common among spectators. The tree-lined route through Bronzeville offers shaded areas along the grass medians, and the parade draws an estimated 500,000-plus spectators each year along the two-mile stretch.
Public transportation is the recommended option. CTA’s Green Line serves the parade route at the Indiana, 43rd Street, 47th Street, 51st Street, and Garfield stops, all within walking distance of King Drive. The Red Line’s 47th Street stop connects to the No. 47 bus, which runs east to Prairie Avenue near the route. CTA bus service along the parade corridor may be interrupted or rerouted during the event. Parking near the route is limited, and organizers encourage carpooling or rideshare for those who cannot take public transit. Divvy bike share stations are available near multiple points along the route.
The Back-to-School Festival in Washington Park
The parade concludes at Washington Park, where the Back-to-School Festival transforms the green space into an all-day community gathering. The festival programming includes live musical performances, an employment fair targeting job seekers from across the South Side, the Red Bull Setlist Rap Booth, face painting, youth empowerment activities, and vendor booths from local businesses and organizations. School supply distributions have been a consistent feature of the festival, reflecting the event’s foundational purpose as a back-to-school celebration.
Chicago Defender Charities also runs a School Supplies for Chicago initiative that collects and distributes materials to students ahead of the new academic year. The combination of the parade’s cultural programming and the festival’s resource distribution positions the Bud Billiken as both a celebration and a practical support mechanism for South Side families preparing for the school year.
The Royal Court and Youth Leadership
The Royal Court Coronation ceremony took place on Sunday, August 3, continuing a 77-year-old tradition within the parade. Children earn positions on the Royal Court by writing essays on what makes a good leader, a selection process that emphasizes writing, civic engagement, and community values. Royal Court members ride on a dedicated float during the parade, serve as ambassadors who welcome and greet attendees along the route, and carry a yearlong responsibility that includes community service and outreach commitments beyond the August event.
The essay-based selection process distinguishes the Royal Court from typical parade honorifics. Rather than selecting children based on performance or popularity, the program centers written expression and leadership ideals, reinforcing the educational mission that has defined the Bud Billiken since Abbott launched it as an extension of the Defender’s youth programming nearly a century ago.
LisaRaye McCoy and the Grand Marshal Tradition
LisaRaye McCoy brings a Chicago-specific biography to the Grand Marshal role. Born and raised on the city’s South Side, McCoy built a career spanning film, television, and entrepreneurship. Her breakout role in The Players Club (1998) established her as a leading figure in Black cinema, and her starring role in the television series Single Ladies extended her visibility into the 2010s. McCoy also served as the first lady of the Turks and Caicos Islands during her marriage to the nation’s premier, adding an international dimension to a career rooted in Chicago.
The Grand Marshal position has historically gone to figures with deep ties to Chicago’s Black community, and McCoy’s selection fits that pattern. Her South Side upbringing, her visibility in Black entertainment, and her entrepreneurial pursuits align with the parade’s celebration of African American achievement and community identity. McCoy joins a list of Grand Marshals that has included entertainers, athletes, politicians, and community leaders over the parade’s 97-year history.
The Broadcast and Media Coverage
ABC7 Chicago will broadcast the parade live from 10 a.m. to noon, with the station’s anchors Cheryl Burton, Hosea Sanders, and Val Warner hosting from the broadcast booth. Reporters Terrell Brown and Karen Jordan will cover the parade from ground level along the route, while ABC7’s Samantha Chatman and other staff members will ride the ABC7 Chicago float. The broadcast will also be available on abc7chicago.com and across ABC7’s streaming and digital platforms, extending the parade’s reach beyond the physical route.
The two-hour live broadcast represents one of the largest local media commitments to a single community event in Chicago’s annual calendar. For viewers who cannot attend in person, the broadcast and digital stream provide access to the parade’s marching bands, drill team performances, float presentations, and the energy of the crowd along King Drive.
FAQs
When and where is the 2026 Bud Billiken Parade?
The 97th annual Bud Billiken Parade steps off Saturday, August 8, 2026 at 10 a.m. from 39th Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, traveling south to 51st Street and into Washington Park. The full event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free.
Who is the 2026 Bud Billiken Grand Marshal?
LisaRaye McCoy, the Chicago-native actress and entrepreneur known for The Players Club and Single Ladies, will serve as Grand Marshal of the 97th annual parade.
How can viewers watch the Bud Billiken Parade from home?
ABC7 Chicago will broadcast the parade live from 10 a.m. to noon on August 8. The broadcast is also available on abc7chicago.com and across ABC7’s streaming and digital platforms.
What happens at the Back-to-School Festival after the parade?
The festival in Washington Park features live performances, an employment fair, school supply distributions, vendor booths, the Red Bull Setlist Rap Booth, and family activities. It runs through 4 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
