As of 2018 what is the oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States currently called?
The first Thanksgiving Day parade held in 1920 was sponsored by Gimbels department store. When the parade was first begun in Philadelphia it was called the Gimbels Thanksgiving Day Parade. Ellis Gimbel, one of the founders of Gimbels Department Stores, wanted his toyland to be the destination of holiday shoppers everywhere. He had more than 50 store employees dressed in costume and sent to walk in their first Thanksgiving Day parade. The parade featured floats and marchers paraded down Market Street, with the finale consisting of Santa Claus arriving at the eighth floor toy department at Gimbels by climbing the ladder of a Philadelphia Fire Department ladder truck. Gimbels emulated other holiday parades already in existence.
The Gimbels parade is now called the 6ABC Dunkin' Donuts parade which is currently sponsored and aired by ABC owned-and-operated television station WPVI-TV, through a co-sponsorship agreement with restaurant chain Dunkin' Donuts. It is currently the oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States. It was formerly known as the 6ABC IKEA Thanksgiving Day Parade, 6ABC Boscov's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Channel 6 Mellon PSFS Thanksgiving Day Parade, Channel 6 MasterCard Thanksgiving Day Parade and originally the Gimbels Thanksgiving Day Parade until Gimbels department store closed operations in 1986.
More Info:
en.m.wikipedia.org
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