Did you know America’s Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit has been around for almost 100 years? That’s almost as old as my dad! (Kidding, Pappa).
But, seriously, that makes the parade one of the oldest traditions in Detroit. It all started with a man named J.L. Hudson, founder of Hudson’s department store in Detroit. Well, actually, it was Hudson’s display director Charles Wendel that came up with the idea for the parade. Wendel was inspired by Eaton’s Santa Claus Parade in Toronto, Ontario and set out to make a Thanksgiving parade sponsored by Hudson’s department store.