CHICAGO — Booming drumlines echoed through Bronzeville Saturday as thousands of spectators packed miles of sidewalk, staking out spots for a glimpse of what organizers call the largest Black parade in the country.
But Corey Tyiska stood a few feet behind the crowd, quietly waiting for his daughter's cheerleading troupe to tumble by. He had grown up watching the procession and now, he said, for the first time, his 10-year-old would become part of the tradition herself.
"The parade has always been here for me, and now my daughter's in it," said Tyiska, 50. "It shows you how many people are supporting the next generation."
Chicago's 97th annual Bud Billiken Parade, a celebration of Black culture and community, kicked off Saturday morning at the intersection of 39th Street and South King Drive. Nicknamed "The Bud," the parade draws thousands of spectators and generations of families for bands, dance and drill teams marching towards Washington Park.
South Side native and actress LisaRaye McCoy served as this year's grand marshal. Over the decades, presidents Barack Obama and Harry Truman have attended, along with entertainers like Oprah Winfrey and Chance the Rapper.
Some of Saturday's attendees were more familiar than others with the parade's notable visitors. Among them was Lola, a 10-year-old blue-and-yellow macaw perched on Rowena Haynes' shoulder.
"She's met the mayor and the governor," Haynes said proudly of the bird, a parade regular since she was a baby. "She loves it."
Others have been attending for even longer, returning to the neighborhood year after year no matter how far away they've moved. Pamela Willis drove from Montgomery to join her sister for the festivities, a summer tradition they shared growing up in Bronzeville.
While roughly 300 groups participated this year, Willis still misses the Clydesdale horses she remembers gawking at as a kid. But the 68-year-old said the city's commitment to carrying on the celebration is worth supporting, and returning each year takes her right back to childhood.
"It feels like home," she said.
Clutching a walking taco in one hand and a coconut snow cone in the other, her sister agreed. Watching generations of families return each year, said 63-year-old Marie Willis, also gives children a chance to honor those who came before them.
"Some of us made history down here," said the younger Willis sister. "Coming here is about the support that we bring back to our neighborhood."
The parade has returned every summer since 1929, celebrating students as they prepare for a new school year. This year, it coincided with Illinois' temporary sales tax reduction, which runs Aug. 7 through Aug. 16 and lowers the state sales tax on qualifying clothing, footwear and school supplies from 6.25% to 1.25%, according to the state's website.
On Saturday, school supplies were handed out near the Washington Park finish, along with free haircuts and health checks for adults and children. But aside from the academic support, the event gave young people a chance to showcase their talents.
"It's really nice for the city to do this for the children," said Demetra Adams, 68, watching from her wheelchair outside a senior living facility. "It keeps them off the streets for a while."
Simone Moore clapped as the Marching Broncos, Kenwood Academy High School's marching band, strode past in thick red jackets and cylindrical caps. Her cheers grew louder as dozens of children in flowing cloaks followed, stomping to dance remixes of songs from the Harry Potter films.
Local children spend all year preparing for the parade, said Moore, who sees them walk to and from practices in costume from her Bronzeville home. She said she hopes her own children might grow to someday be among them.
"This is what community feels like," said Moore, 41. "You see what the South Side of Chicago represents and the love that we have for each other."
Preparing for the parade has kept 12-year-old Kiraa Dawson busy this summer, with practices three days a week ramping up to daily rehearsals in the month leading up to Saturday. It's her fourth year performing with Geek Skquad Dance Company, a youth dance and tumbling organization.
She said the parade is the highlight of her summer, giving her something to look forward to ahead of starting seventh grade at Walt Disney Magnet School. But the best part, Dawson said, is the crowd that lines the route.
"It makes me feel like I accomplished something," she said. "Like I worked hard enough for people to cheer me on."