Bud Billiken Parade on Chicago's South Side is back
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Bud Billiken Parade in Chicago 2018. Photo: Bilgin S. Sasmaz/Anadolu/Getty Images
Grab your lawn chairs. The back-to-school festival returns Saturday.
Why it matters: For more than 90 years, the Bud Billiken Parade has been a Chicago tradition that has drawn massive crowds to celebrate Black culture, art, music and history just before the start of the academic year.
What to expect: It's the largest African American parade in the U.S. and features marching bands, dancers, floats, live music and more.
Flashback: The parade was established in 1929 by Robert Sengstacke Abbott, founder of the African American newspaper The Chicago Defender.
- The name Bud Billiken originated from the newspaper's youth page, "Defender Junior," which then transformed into a club and mascot, "Bud the Billiken," which was said to serve as a protector of children.
State of play: The very first parade honored the young newsboys who sold the newspaper.
- Since then, public figures, community leaders and entertainers like former President Barack Obama, Muhammad Ali, Nat King Cole, Oprah and many others have taken part in the celebration.
If you go: The festival is 10am-4pm Saturday starts at 35th and King Dr. and ends at 55th Street.
- The parade will be followed by a picnic at Washington Park.
- Free.
📺 Can't make it? Watch the parade live on ABC 7 Chicago.