Ray Rice Named Grand Marshal Of New Rochelle 2024 Thanksgiving Parade

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The City of New Rochelle has tapped a hometown sports hero to lead the annual Thanksgiving parade, but his fall from grace and his very public efforts to help others learn from his mistakes will forever be a part of his complicated legacy. `

New York's largest Thanksgiving Day Parade is perhaps best watched from the comfort of your living room, but you'll want to be there in person to enjoy the Empire State's second biggest spectacle of the season.

Mighty Mouse is set to soar through the streets of New Rochelle again as a favorite Thanksgiving tradition returns.

The New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce and the City of New Rochelle announced the 60th Annual Thanksgiving Parade will take place on Saturday, Nov 23., starting at 10 a.m.

The grand marshal for the 2024 Thanksgiving Parade is Ray Rice, who will ride with his family down the parade route along North Avenue on a float. The New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce says that Rice "is being recognized for his prowess on the field, and more importantly, his commitment to serve those in need — especially young people — in both his hometown of New Rochelle and his new home in Baltimore."

"I am honored to be the Grand Marshal for the Thanksgiving Day parade," Rice said. "Thank you, New Rochelle, for not giving up on me and my family!! I hope to serve as a beacon of hope to the youth of New Rochelle."

Rice is perhaps known as much for a violent off-field incident that brought his NFL career to an abrupt end as he is for for his talents on the field.

The controversy started during the 2014 off-season, when hotel security footage was released of him physically attacking his then-fiancée, and current wife. After being indicted for aggravated assault, Rice was released by the Ravens and suspended indefinitely by the NFL. That suspension was eventually overturned, but the star player never took the field again.

"The New Rochelle Thanksgiving Parade is a NR Chamber and City tradition. It’s evolved from a small night-time Thanksgiving Eve event to become the 2nd largest Thanksgiving Parade in the state," Rob Hayes, President of the NR Chamber of Commerce, said. "The NR Chamber is proud to be celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Parade and we congratulate Ray Rice as Grand Marshal."

The parade will feature floats and giant parade balloons, including New Rochelle’s own iconic Mighty Mouse, along with Tom the Turkey, Peppa Pig, Bert and Ernie, and many others. There will, of course, be marching bands playing throughout the parade, vintage cars and firetrucks, dancers, singers and marchers from Iona and Monroe Colleges, local schools, businesses and community organizations. Santa will there too.

The 2024 Thanksgiving Parade route will go along North Avenue, beginning at Eastchester Road and ending at Bonnefoy Place. Groups will perform at the grandstand near Anderson Plaza in New Rochelle's newly created Vanguard District, where the parade will be recorded for Thanksgiving weekend broadcasts on NRTV.

SEE ALSO: The New 'Vanguard District': New Rochelle's Downtown Retail Strategy

Watch Parties will take place at several restaurants and businesses along the North Avenue parade route, including Beechmont Tavern, Smokehouse Tailgate Grill, Spectators Sports Pub and Restaurant and other soon-to-be announced locations.

The New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce also announced the New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence’s Annual Pancake Breakfast is back this year. Enjoy a delicious $5 breakfast made and served by New Rochelle's school administrators and teachers, just before the parade, and help support a good cause. Starting at 8 a.m. in the House 4 Cafeteria at New Rochelle High School (entrance through the doors facing the Twin Lakes and North Avenue), the breakfast is open to all. Note: There will be no vehicle entrance at the House 4 parking lot. There will be no exceptions. North Avenue, near the tennis courts, will be closed for the parade to all vehicles. Attendees should park in the teachers' lot on Clove Road and walk over through the baseball field entrance to House 4.

Parking for the parade will be available at the following locations: New Rochelle High School Teachers' Lot, Hamilton Avenue Parking Lot, City Hall Parking Lot, Lawn Avenue Parking Lot, New Rochelle Transit Center Parking Garage (train station), New Roc City Garage, Library South Parking Lot and along various side streets off North Avenue. Note: North Avenue will be closed to vehicle traffic for parade. Be sure to use directions that do not include North Avenue to enter Parking Lots.

For the latest on the parade, including sponsorship information for balloons and floats, visit the NR Chamber website page here.

Ray Rice bio, provided by the New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce:

Ray Rice played football for the New Rochelle High School Huguenots and is considered a football legend for the school. Ray was the Huguenots' primary running back and led the team to a state championship in 2003. He also set a New York state record for rushing yards in a game with 462 yards in 2004. NRHS lost only one game in each of Ray’s three seasons of varsity football. Ray was a two-time Journal News Player of the Year.

Ray attended Rutgers University from 2005-2007. Ray is the all-time leading rusher in Rutgers history, amassing 4,926 yards — more than double the total of all but five running backs in the 154-year history of the program. Ray led the Scarlet Knights to their first bowl game victory in 2006. He finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2006 and was twice named a second-team All-American by multiple outlets. Ray holds at least a dozen Rutgers University school records.

Ray entered the 2008 NFL Draft and was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the second round. He played for the Ravens from 2008 to 2013. He had 1,430 carries for 6,180 yards, 369 catches for 3,034 yards and scored 43 touchdowns. Ray won the AFC Offensive Player of the Week award five times. After successfully executing a conversion on a checkdown play nicknamed “Hey Diddle Diddle, Ray Rice Up the Middle”, Ray was awarded the GMC Never Say Never Moment of the Week Award.

Ray’s career awards and highlights: Superbowl Champion (XLVII); three-time Pro Bowl selection (2009, 2011, 2012): two-time second-team All-Pro selection (2009, 2011); AFC rushing touchdown leader (2011); and NFL scrimmage yards leader (2011).

Ray is known for his community service both in New Rochelle and Baltimore. Ray was awarded the Community Spirit Award from the New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence in March 2010. In 2012, he was voted the city of Baltimore's Most Charitable Person. In 2012 Ray created the Ray Rice Charitable Foundation which helps children at local hospitals, runs football camps for less privileged children, hosts annual school supply and toy drives, engages in community building and hosts food drives in both Baltimore and Westchester. Some events under the Ray Rice Charitable Foundation have been centered on initiatives such as, "A Ray of Hope: A Pro-Kindness, Anti Bullying, Teen Suicide Prevention Outreach." Ray’s newest non-profit, Pipeline 2 Prosperity (P2P), was established in 2022 to focus on changing the lives of young men and women struggling to avoid the Pipeline to Prison narrative placed on them. Through community events, parent engagement opportunities and enrichment programs, P2P works in both New Rochelle and Baltimore to create successful pathways for a new generation of youth. In New Rochelle, P2P sponsors the Youth Tackle League’s Huguenot Elite program.

Ray’s post-football work also includes working with organizations such as A Call to Men, the Childhood Domestic Violence Association, Make-A-Wish Foundation as well as speaking to professional, college and high school athletes about domestic violence as a component of player development.

In 2012, Ray’s number 5 New Rochelle High School Huguenots jersey was retired. Ray was inducted into the New Rochelle Walk of Fame in 2017. He was inducted into Westchester County Sports Hall of Fame in 2021. On December 31, 2023, Ray was honored by the Baltimore Ravens as a "Legend of the Game." Most recently Ray was inducted into the New Rochelle Sports Hall of Fame in October 2024.

SEE ALSO:

• NY AG James Cites Ray Rice Saga, Blasts NFL Gender Equality Record
• New Rochelle Native, NFL Star Ray Rice Reinstated To NFL
• 2 New Rochelle Athletes Inducted To Westchester Hall Of Fame
• VIDEO: Ray Rice Speaks about Domestic Violence and His Comeback Attempt
• NY Times: Some in New Rochelle are Conflicted over Ray Rice
• New Rochelle High School Removes Ray Rice Jersey, Plaque: Report
• NFL Bans New Rochelle's Ray Rice after New Video Emerges of Domestic Assault

An earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed the Ray Rice biographical information to the City of New Rochelle. The article has been changed to reflect that the biographical information was provided by the New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce.