This year’s county Thanksgiving Parade in downtown Silver Spring featured floats, performances, and Olympians.
Crowds lined streets as the only thanksgiving parade in the Washington, D.C. metro area kicked off on Ellsworth Drive, went down Georgia Avenue, and ended on Silver Spring Avenue.
“To be here after going to this parade myself as a teenager, growing up and hanging out in downtown Silver Spring and to be here on a float and feel the love and to experience the parade in a completely new way is amazing,” said Thea LaFond, who over the summer won the first-ever Olympic medal for the Caribbean nation Dominica when she took gold in the women’s triple jump. “I’m so grateful. It’s the greatest kick-off to the holiday season, especially around here.”
“This is really cool, this is my first parade ever, going to this one, so it’s a really nice experience,” said Aaron Ghebre Owusu, who competed in the men’s 50-meter freestyle swim for the African nation of Eritrea. Ghebre Owusu is a Quince Orchard High School graduate and LaFond is a Kennedy High School graduate.
Thanksgiving Parade in Silver Spring featuring Olympians @mymcmedia pic.twitter.com/0bplCtwWpz
— Maryam Shahzad (@maryam_mcm) November 16, 2024
“We just came here to spread a bunch of cheer before Thanksgiving, hype everybody up before the holidays and we’re really excited to be here,” said Montgomery College Cheerleader Kadijah Toure.
“This is such an exciting day for Montgomery County, especially for us here in Silver Spring, to have the thanksgiving parade. And I’m so thrilled to be joined by MoCo Pride and Arts on the Block,” said County Council Vice President Kate Stewart.
“I thought it was the biggest parade that I’ve seen in a while,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. He said, “This has always been a community-building event, and it always shows off who Montgomery County is.”
