12-Foot Turkey Heralds Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade

On Nov. 22, the Saturday before Thanksgiving, Montgomery County will host its 17th annual Thanksgiving Parade featuring a new, 12-foot, inflatable turkey printed with the county’s logo.

The parade kicks off at 10 a.m. at the intersection of Ellsworth Drive and Fenton Street in Silver Spring and continues southward on Georgia Avenue until Silver Spring Avenue.

Along with its giant turkey, the parade promises attendees a over 100 attractions, including colorful floats, mascots, drumlines and dance groups. Per tradition, Santa’s float will ride at the parade’s caboose playing holiday music.

To get involved in this year’s parade, area residents aged 13 and older can volunteer to be elves and pilgrims on floats, reindeers and penguins in the parade, or to be balloon handlers. Volunteers are required to be on site from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For more information, call 240-777-6821.

Parking is free during the event in all public parking garages in the area with the exception of the Ellsworth Town Center garage, which will be closed.

For those staying at home, News Channel 8 will broadcast the entire event live.

Photo courtesy of Montgomery County Recreation

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