The Mag Mile Festival of Lights Parade

We’ve worked with the Chicago Flower & Garden Show team since 2012, providing everything from a full rebrand to yearly show themes and marketing. The Flower Show has been a part of the city’s cultural landscape since the 1800’s and we’re happy to help bring about the Chicago tradition year after year, including the upcoming literary-inspired show, Flowertales: Every Garden Has A Story to Tell.

Recently, Account Manager Carlie and I had the honor of joining the Chicago Flower team in another, albeit newer Chicago tradition—the Magnificent Mile Festival of Lights Parade. We gladly accepted the invitation and on a chilly Saturday afternoon, we got our volunteer jackets and dove into parade preparations!

The Festival of Lights Parade is a celebration of all things Chicago and kicks off the holiday season here in the city! Floats and balloons from businesses and organizations fill the streets—everything from local dance teams and high school bands to theater performances and an octopus tentacle-enveloped bus, compliments of the Shedd Aquarium. Carlie and I donned our bright orange Chicago Flower & Garden Show hats with the rest of the Flower Show team and walked the parade route down Michigan Avenue, toting our new helium-filled friend Jerold the Bookworm. Between the literary theme for the 2018 show and the Chicago Flower & Garden Show’s partnership with Bernie’s Book Bank, a lively bookworm was the perfect way to spread the word about Flowertales.

Partaking in a parade of this scale is an unforgettable experience for so many reasons. Despite the cold temperatures and general chaos, the volunteers and parade organizers were upbeat and cheerful, making the day fun and lively. It should be no surprise that handling a massive balloon in a city known for being windy is a little difficult, but walking down Michigan Ave and seeing the excitement in the crowd made the whole thing worth it. And of course, supporting our client and celebrating their iconic contribution to our kick-ass city was the coolest part of it all.

Check out this clip from ABC 7 news that features Jerold and the rest of the parade highlights.