Montgomery County’s annual Thanksgiving Parade, the largest in the Washington, D.C. region, is set to fill downtown Silver Spring with holiday cheer starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16. This year’s festivities will include marching bands, community floats, County Executive Marc Elrich, members of the County Council and local Olympians Thea LaFond of Dominica and Aaron Ghebre Owusu of Eritrea.
Ms. LaFond, who lives in Silver Spring, set a new national record for her birth country, securing a historic first Olympic gold medal for Dominica in the women’s triple jump in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Mr. Owuso represented his homeland as he competed in the men’s 50-meter freestyle swim in Paris.
ABC7’s First Alert Weather Team’s Eileen Whalen will kick off the parade with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The parade route will start at Ellsworth Drive and Fenton Street, proceed south on Georgia Avenue and conclude at Silver Spring Avenue.
“The Thanksgiving Parade is a Montgomery County tradition that brings our community together to celebrate the start of the holiday season with friends, family and neighbors,” said County Executive Elrich. “This year, we are pleased to welcome local Olympians, talented performers and our dedicated community groups to make the day even more special. This parade highlights the people, places and culture that help make Montgomery County a diverse and vibrant place to live. I am looking forward to seeing the streets of Silver Spring filled with joy.”
Attendees can look forward to a festive lineup of more than 150 units, including community groups, local marching bands, vibrant floats, mascots and live performances by the Akhmedova Ballet Academy and Maryland Youth Ballet. The parade’s lineup also will include stilt walkers, a giant T-Rex and a penguin inflatable. There will be holiday characters including performing dogs, Hannukah bears, reindeer and Santa Claus himself. Dance and marching band performances will occur near the parade’s starting point at Ellsworth Drive and Fenton Street.
The parade will take place rain or shine. For more information, visit the official parade website or call 240-777-0311.
To accommodate the parade, road closures will be in place from 6 a.m-1 p.m. on Nov. 16:
- North and Southbound lanes of Georgia Ave., from East-West Highway to Colesville Road.
- Cedar Street between Colesville Road and Wayne Avenue.
- Pershing Drive from Cedar Street to Veterans Place.
- Veterans Place from Pershing Drive to Ellsworth Drive.
- Ellsworth Drive from Georgia Avenue to Cedar Street.
- Roeder Road from Fenton Street to Cedar Street.
- Fenton Street from Cameron Street to Wayne Avenue.
- Wayne Avenue from Georgia Avenue to Fenton Street.
- Bonifant Street from Georgia Avenue to Fenton Street.
- Thayer Avenue from Georgia Avenue to Fenton Street.
- Silver Spring Avenue from Georgia Avenue to Fenton Street.
