Everything You Need to Know About This Year’s Thanksgiving Parade

Road closures begin Wednesday night – are you ready?


thanksgiving parade

Photo by J. Fusco for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®

The most gluttonous holiday of the year is nearly upon us.

To help you prepare, we’ve assembled a guide to the biggest event of the day in Philly: the 6ABC Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade. Here’s information on what to expect of the festivity, as well as road closures and SEPTA adjustments.

An overview

The parade will start at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday morning and run until noon. It will kick off at 20th Street and JFK Boulevard and run:

  • Eastbound on JFK Boulevard to 16th Street
  • Northbound on 16th Street to Benjamin Franklin Parkway
  • Westbound on Benjamin Franklin Parkway in the south-side lanes to the south side of Logan Circle
  • And westbound on Benjamin Franklin Parkway (south-side inner lanes) to Eakins Oval and the Art Museum.

Those partaking in the parade this year include “The Voice” 2016 contestant Billy Gilman, “Good Morning America” host Lara Spencer, Philly DJ Jerry Blavat and more. Check out Visit Philly for additional information.

Road closures

Starting at 4 a.m. on Thursday, parking restrictions will be in place along the parade route.  Vehicles on the route will be towed.

Here’s the schedule for street closures, per the city:

Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Eakins Oval, between Kelly Drive and MLK Drive

Wednesday, 6 p.m. to Thursday, 2 p.m.:

Eakins Oval, between Kelly Drive and MLK Drive

Wednesday, 1 p.m. to Thursday, 11 a.m.:

JFK Boulevard, 20th Street to 30th Street Station

Thursday, 1 a.m. to 2 p.m.:

Market Street, 19th to 21st Streets

Thursday, 4 a.m. to 2 p.m.:

20th Street, Market Street to Ben Franklin Parkway

Thursday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.:

Traffic southbound on Kelly Drive will be detoured through the park at Fountain Green Drive to Oxford Drive & 33rd Street

Thursday, 7:40 a.m.:

Roads along the parade route will shut down between 8:15 a.m. and the parade’s end

SEPTA adjustments

Most buses, trains and trolleys will operate on a Sunday schedule on Thanksgiving Day. The Broad Street and Market-Frankford subway lines will operate with all night service on Thursday.

The following bus detours will begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday and last through 2 p.m. Thursday:

Routes 31333844124125MFO

And the bus following detours will be begin at 3 a.m. Thursday and continue through 2 p.m.:

Routes 271727324348

Be sure to check System Status online for updates or schedule changes.