DETROIT (WWJ) — It’s almost that time of year again. The Parade Company on Thursday announced the Grand Marshals for the 98th Annual America’s Thanksgiving Parade: Sen. Debbie Stabenow, sportscaster Mike Tirico, and Dan Loepp, president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
The Parade Company also announced Thursday this year’s theme is “Miles of Smiles.”
The trio of grand marshals will lead the parade down Woodward Avenue on Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, Nov. 28, ahead of the Lions’ game against the Bears at Ford Field.
Stabenow, who will retire at the end of her term after more than two decades as the senior U.S. Michigan Senator, said the parade has been one of her family’s favorite holiday traditions.
“America’s Thanksgiving Parade has been a wonderful part of my family’s traditions over the years, so this honor is especially meaningful,” Stabenow said, per a press release. “Detroit is a one-of-a-kind community and this parade is a one-of-a-kind parade. I have so much to be thankful for and am grateful for this opportunity to celebrate Thanksgiving with Detroiters and Michiganders across the state.”
Tirico, who lives in Ann Arbor, has become one of the country’s most recognized sports announcers, serving as the lead play-by-play announcer for Sunday Night Football on NBC, as well as the primetime host of the Olympics on NBC.
“What an honor to be asked to join two true great Michiganders to celebrate this great holiday event,” Tirico said. “Thanksgiving Day and Detroit are synonymous across the country and it is a thrill to have a front row seat for the start of this special day.”
Loepp, a native Detroiter, has been president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) since 2006. The Parade Company says he is one of Detroit’s “most visible and active business and philanthropic leaders.” He is a longtime supporter of The Parade Company and served as its Chairman.
“As a born-and-raised Detroiter who leads a company proudly headquartered in the city, being named a Grand Marshal for America’s Thanksgiving Parade is an incredible honor,” Loepp said in the press release. “This parade is more than a celebration; it’s a cherished tradition that brings together families, friends and communities from across the nation. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to be a part of an event that has been a cornerstone of Detroit’s cultural fabric for decades. I’d like to extend a special thanks to Tony Michaels, whose leadership and dedication have kept this signature parade thriving year after year.”
Last year longtime Detroit journalist and news anchor Huel Perkins and Lions legend Lomas Brown served as the grand marshals.
Ticket sales for grandstand seats went on sale Thursday, while officials also opened registration for the annual Turkey Trot races where participants dress up in holiday costumes and run the city’s streets.
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