Dates not confirmed yet. This edition is expected in August 2027, based on when it has run before. Check the organizer before making plans.

Community

Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic

#parade#bronzeville#backtoschool#kingdrive#washingtonpark#africanamericanheritage

Date

Expected August 2027

Location

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive to Washington Park
Dr Martin Luther King Jr Dr & 51st St, Chicago, IL 60615

Organized by

Chicago Defender Charities

About this happenin

On the second Saturday in August, marching bands and floats head down Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive through Bronzeville and into Washington Park for the Bud Billiken Parade, the city's kickoff to the school year. It has run every summer since 1929, and Chicago Defender Charities, which produces it, describes it as the largest African American parade in the United States. Dance teams, community organizations and youth groups fill out the line behind the Grand Marshal and the Royal Court, young people picked through the charity's annual essay competition. Oprah Winfrey, Duke Ellington, President Truman and Barack Obama, then a senator, have all been guests. ABC7 Chicago carries it live. Afterward, families head into Washington Park for the Back-to-School Festival, where organizations working on education, jobs and health set up.

More in August: 13 other Chicago events.