In the heart of every adult lives a youthful spirit that longs to bask in the world of make-believe that they enjoyed as a child. The Parade Company produces America’s Thanksgiving Parade, which caters to that youthful spirit. The company makes it their business to help millions re-create the magical moments of years gone by. Hundreds of men and women work tirelessly to capture the fantasy of the holiday event that brings joy to millions.

“I have [had] the privilege of leading a really wonderful team of people,” says Parade Company President Joan LeMahieu. “We have 12 full-time employees [and] 1,200 volunteers. We have volunteers that work year-round, doing all kinds of activities ... for major events, as well as on the parade and fireworks.”

In keeping with the tradition of being one of the largest parades in the world, the 2007 America’s Parade motif was “Hats off Detroit!” to celebrate the exciting rebirth of downtown Detroit. “It’s really a cherished tradition [and] multigenerational,” LeMahieu explains. “This is our 81st year — and really, in a city that’s divided in a lot of different ways, this is an event that brings people from all walks of life together, standing shoulder to shoulder to enjoy a great celebration.” –janaya black

For information about next year’s event, visit www.theparade.org.

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