54th Thanksgiving Parade Kicks To Kick Off In New Rochelle

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Mighty Mouse will be returning to the Queen City on the Sound for the 54th annual Thanksgiving Parade. The event will take place Saturday, Nov. 18, organizers said. This year, the honorees will be the people who do the heavy lifting to make certain the parade goes off without a hitch, gets Santa there atop a firetruck and cleans up afterward: the New Rochelle Fire Department, New Rochelle Police Department and the city’s Department of Public Works.

“Each year their work on the parade is exception and this year we want everyone to know how much they are appreciated today and always,” said Jennifer Lanser, executive director of the New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce, which co-presents the parade with the city.

“So this year holding the 38-foot Might Mouse balloon you will see some true heroes of our city,” she said.

Other balloons will include Bert and Ernie of Sesame Street, Baby Smurf, the Grinch and Tom the Turkey.

For the first time in many years, all of the city’s schools and three colleges will be represented, organizers said.

The parade will feature 1,800 marchers including New Rochelle children, organizations, businesses and eight bands from Westchester County.

As always, the parade ends with Santa Claus making his entrance on one of New Rochelle’s fire engines.

The parade begins at 10 a.m. on North Avenue near the high school.

Before the parade, the annual Pancake Breakfast fundraiser will be held by the New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence at New Rochelle High School from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Tickets are $5 per person. For more information, visit www.nredfund.org.

Photo credit: Michael Woyton/Patch Staff.