Thousands of people are expected to line Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring on Nov. 21 as the Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade rolls out floats, marching bands and a lineup of 12-foot inflatable characters starting at 10 a.m. The parade route begins at Ellsworth Drive and Fenton Street, heads south on Georgia Avenue and finishes at Silver Spring Avenue, with featured performances staged near the grandstand at Ellsworth and Fenton.
What's Marching Down Georgia Avenue
Organizers with Downtown Silver Spring describe a lineup that runs from glittering floats and marching bands to 12-foot inflatable turkeys and Santa Claus himself. According to The Baltimore Banner, inflatables will also include gingerbread men, elves, dreidels and reindeer alongside the turkeys and Santa. Several Montgomery County high schools are set to bring their marching bands, with the Banner reporting that James Hubert Blake High School's Roaring Bengals plan to perform Usher's “DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love.”
Springbrook High School's Blue Flames are scheduled to play selections from a set called “Love Is More Powerful Than Hate,” including Michael Jackson's “Off the Wall” and “Beat It,” Elton John's “I'm Still Standing” and Bad Bunny's “Baile Inolvidable,” per the same report. Northwood High School's Gladiators are set to perform songs by Michael Jackson, Kate Bush and the Clash. The Spirit of Clarksburg Marching Band is also listed as a participant, and John F. Kennedy High School's Marching Cavaliers plan to march alongside the school's pom squad, color guard and other student groups.
Dance Troupes And A Ribbon-Cutting
Beyond the bands, cultural dance performances are planned from groups including Akhmedova Ballet and Maryland Youth Ballet, which are both set to perform Nutcracker-themed routines, according to Visit Montgomery. Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and the County Council are scheduled to join the opening ribbon-cutting ceremony, per Downtown Silver Spring's event listing. In a statement reported by the Banner, Elrich said students work hard all year, putting in countless hours of practice to perfect their music and routines, and that they represent their schools and community with tremendous talent and school spirit.
Accounts differ on who will emcee the event. Downtown Silver Spring's site says Brian van de Graaff and Lifestyle Host Roxanne Strouk will host, while the Banner describes van de Graaff as ABC7's “Good Morning Washington” co-host and travel correspondent and Strouk as a lifestyle host. However, Source of the Spring has reported that Eileen Whalen and Senior Meteorologist Brian van de Graaff will host the event instead.
Road Closures And Volunteer Opportunities
Georgia Avenue is scheduled to close in both directions between East-West Highway and Colesville Road starting at 6 a.m. on parade day, with the roadway expected to reopen around 1 p.m. once the parade concludes, according to Downtown Silver Spring. Spectators will be able to watch from along the Georgia Avenue route, and organizers say the event will proceed rain or shine.
The parade is also seeking volunteers age 13 and older to dress up in costume, serve as unit leaders, and handle inflatables and balloons, per the Downtown Silver Spring listing. Earlier this fall, applications had been open to marching bands, floats, multicultural performance groups, dance troupes and other creative units hoping to join the lineup, with The MoCo Show reporting an Oct. 1 application deadline.
A Downtown Silver Spring Tradition
The parade has previously featured large inflatable characters and balloons, costumed performers, baton twirlers and floats, the same outlet notes, and it typically draws thousands of residents and visitors to Downtown Silver Spring. Visit Montgomery reports that past editions have drawn up to 10,000 spectators and included more than 100 participating groups and organizations, underscoring the scale of the holiday tradition returning to Georgia Avenue this month.
