The Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival and Parade will return for the 33rd year Nov. 23.
This year’s holiday event will feature a new Chicago River lighting spectacle and the tallest balloon to ever come down the Mag Mile the weekend before Thanksgiving.
Lights Festival Lane will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Pioneer Court, 401 N. Michigan Ave.
The parade will travel south on North Michigan Avenue from Oak Street to Wacker Drive, then east on Wacker to Upper Columbus Drive from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
As many as one million people and over 600 volunteers are expected to witness the largest evening parade in the U.S., and the third-largest parade in the country.
The event is headlined by Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse from The Walt Disney World Resort, leading a parade filled with 40 floats; giant helium balloons; marching bands from Hawaii, Alabama, Illinois and Ohio; celebrities; musical performances; Santa Claus and the Wintrust Fireworks Spectacular.
The festival features the illumination of one million lights on over 200 trees along North Michigan Avenue.
Attendees should wear holiday sweaters, as the goal is to break the existing world record for the most holiday sweaters at a parade.
Visit TheMagnificentMile.com for more information.
