Showcase a Fired-Up Attitude in Thanksgiving parade

Students, faculty and staff will once again have the opportunity to demonstrate their passion for Central Michigan University as marchers in America’s Thanksgiving Parade ® presented by Gardner White.

CMU’s parade float highlights the CMU “We do” brand with scenes of students engaged in hands-on learning, participating in leadership activities, and earning their degrees.

This will be CMU’s second year participating in the event, which takes place Thursday, Nov. 24 in Detroit.

CMU students, faculty, staff and alumni are invited to apply to participate in this year’s parade, said Brittany Milan, associate director of Alumni Engagement. Milan is leading CMU’s efforts in the parade.

“We are looking for individuals who are truly Fired Up about their CMU experience and who are able to spend their Thanksgiving morning with us in Detroit,” she said.

Milan said interested individuals must complete the brief online application before end of day Friday, Sept. 16, 2022, to be considered. A committee of CMU students, faculty, staff and alumni will review applications and select the 2022 marchers by mid-October.

The parade, which has been held annually for nearly 100 years, is the second largest in the U.S. and has twice been named the best holiday parade in America in USA Today’s Readers’ Choice Awards.

The 2021 event was broadcast in more than 180 media markets nationwide, reaching as many as 77 million households. With this reach, the parade earned more than $12.8 million in publicity value for participating organizations like CMU, according to The Parade Company.

The parade also draws a large live crowd in Detroit, said Tony Michaels, president and CEO of The Parade Company and proud member of the CMU Class of '81. 

“America’s Thanksgiving Parade® presented by Gardner White is the biggest event in Detroit and the entire region reaching hundreds of thousands of people curbside and millions more through our television broadcast,” said Michaels. “We are so thrilled to have Central Michigan University as one of our incredible sponsors helping us to bring our community together in a very special way for this amazing tradition!”

The parade route passes CMU’s Detroit Office, located at 777 Woodward Ave. The CMU Alumni Association has partnered with The Parade Company to provide exclusive grandstand seating to watch the parade with CMU family and friends. Learn more by visiting the CMU Alumni Association webpage.