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Distinguished members of the Clown Corps hand pearls to the crowd at the Thanksgiving US Parade in Detroit on Thursday, November 22, 2018. (Photo: Kimberly P. Mitchell, Detroit Free Press)
Growing up in the 1970s, Robert Burrell Sr. was lunching in Hudson with his grandmother while the Thanksgiving Day parade was taking place in Woodward, Detroit. He seated himself on Santa's lap before watching the floats parade – all without braving the cold.
Even after the disappearance of Hudson, 49-year-old Burrell brought his now teenage sons to the Thanksgiving American parade presented by Art Van for more than 15 years. He warmed his hands on Thursday while he was standing along the parade route near Grand Circus Park, with a cup of coffee from the gas station that they picked up as they passed Lincoln Park.
"I try to come every year – even when it's cold and it's bad weather – I always try to come," Burrell said. "Well this year."
Of course, in Detroit, the term "good" meant about 25 degrees early this morning, the worst of this week's cold snap that brought temperatures back to 18 degrees just before dawn. But most parade enthusiasts were wrapped up in coats, scarves and blankets. Two runners finishing the fun race at Turkey Trot snuggle into dinosaur costumes.
On the other side of the street, a group of people gathered around the entrance to the St. John's Episcopal Church, filled with a banner advertising the coffee and donuts. And the cold did not stop a series of barbecues near Temple Street, where families shared scrambled eggs, macaroni and cheese and hot dogs on paper plates.
Greg and Diana Steinke left for the first time this year in Brighton. Two of their children, Lanae and Logan, sat on folding chairs, while Greg and Diana examined the street to make sure they had good eyesight. Their two other daughters soon descended from Woodward with Brighton High School.
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"We play color guard," laughs Lanae. Her father said to her, "But she's playing very well."
As police officer Shrek and police on horseback loomed, a woman pushing a "Merry Christmas" cart down, Woodward gathered the crowd's requests.
"Make it turn!" people called for margin. She obliged, sending the cart in a circle to an explosion of cheers.
Meanwhile, Sgt. Richard Knox, of the Detroit Police Department, was in Woodward, at the north end of Grand Circus Park, watching spectators standing or sitting at two depths on both sides of the street.
"It's a good crowd – a bit small, but it's cold," he said, as Turkey Trot's last riders passed.
The animation before the parade, once thousands of runners have left the scene of Woodward? A man with a goat.
"He was here last year," said Knox, while 32-year-old Eric Brown of Detroit boarded with, of course, a very hairy goat on a leash. On Brown's back were the words "Rock Club Foundation".
"I'm trying to bring artists and dreamers together to move society forward," said Brown, while curious spectators were speechless.
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Others stayed warm a little further from the action. For seven years, Bob Graham and his daughter Hannah, 20, watched the parade just outside the David Whitney Building. And every year they meet the same old gentleman who lives there. They do not know his name, but greeting has become an annual rendezvous.
"How are you doing? Nice to see you again," Bob said, exchanging a quick hug with the man before he moved away. "We were looking for it – every year."
After the parade, Bob and Hannah planned to share fried cheese saganaki at Golden Fleece in Greektown as part of their annual father-daughter day. Then they would go home with enough time to crush 20 pounds of potatoes to share between 17 guests. Plus some extra.
"We are planning lunches next week," said Bob. His favorite part of the day? "Just be here with my daughter," he says.
Bill Laitner contributed to this report.
Contact Fiona Kelliher at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @fiona_kelliher.
Read or share this story: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2018/11/22/detroit-thanksgiving-parade/2085614002/
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