Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade Offers Family Fun

Holiday traditions and family fun

ThePhiladelphia Thanksgiving Parade is the oldest in the nation, dating back to 1920. This year, local residents will enjoy 1.4 miles of massive floats, marching bands, dance troupes, celebrity guests and Santa Claus himself on Thursday, November 28, from 8:30 am to noon.

Whether you live in Philadelphia townhomes or just 20 minutes away in Delaware, your family will love this annual fall spectacle that has become as much a tradition as grandma’s homemade pumpkin pie.

Philadelphia Thanksgiving parade highlights

The parade starts at 20th Street and JFK Boulevard, proceeding east down to 16th Street, down Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and up to Logan Circle. From there, the parade loops down south, continuing on Benjamin Franklin Parkway to Eakins Oval and to the front steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Be on the look-out for the following sights:

• Giant balloonslike Cookie Monster, Scooby Doo, The Lorax, Frosty the Snowman, Elmo and the Gingerbread Man
• A float from Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Santa’s sleigh, and the Thanksgiving Harvest themed float
• Campbell’s Winter Wonderland Expo Tent, which features hot cocoa, guest appearances and giveaways
• The Dunkin Donuts Holiday Food Drive collection carts pulled by Boy Scouts and Campbell’s Soup volunteers
• The Tournament of Bands’ All-Star Marching Band of performers from all over the tri-state area

Don’t want to cook Thanksgiving dinner this year?

Sometimes it can be exhausting to cook Thanksgiving dinner every year. Philadelphia and Delaware residents can take a break bysampling fine festive cuisineat one of Philly’s best restaurants.

Here are a few of the places recommended by the Tourism Bureau for a holiday meal after the parade:

• Percy Street Barbecue(900 South St., $225 for six to eight people, dine-in or to-go) – The “Smokin’ Thanksgiving Feast” includes smoked turkey, mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows, cornbread and sausage stuffing, collard greens, baked apples and pecan pie.
• Miss Rachel’s Pantry(1732 W. Passyunk Ave.) – Vegan diners can enjoy turkey-style seitan with mushroom / red wine gravy, garlicky mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and rosemary-thyme stuffing with cranberry.
• Supper(926 South St., $59/person, $30/kids) – Enjoy farm-raised turkey, sweet potato soup with marshmallow and sage, sautéed Brussels sprouts with bacon, potato puree with cheddar and horseradish, and pumpkin pie.
• City Tavern(138 South 2nd St., $82.95/person, $32.95/kid) – Get a taste of history with free-range turkey, country style ham, smashed red potatoes and Martha Washington’s chocolate mousse cake.
• Bistro St. Tropez (2400 Market St., $48/person, $20/kid) – The annual Grand Buffet includes turkey, sweet potatoes, buttermilk biscuits, pork short ribs, butternut squash, Virginia baked ham, and more.
• Chima Brazilian Steakhouse (1901 JFK Blvd., $49.50/person, $24.75/kids 7-10, free for 6 and under) – Savor unlimited chicken, sausages, seafood and 16 cuts of steak, as well as turkey, stuffing and all the fixings.
• Spirit of Philadelphia (401 South Columbus Blvd., $49.90/person, $29.95/kid) – Embark upon a different type of experience by sailing away on a boat to enjoy an afternoon Thanksgiving day feast with your family.

Philadelphia townhomes leave something to be desired?

The Philadelphia real estate market can be expensive when you factor in property taxes, sales tax and school taxes, in addition to the base price. So instead of searching for Philadelphia townhomes, consider nearby Wilmington, DE in the master-planned community of Darley Green.

We offer close proximity to the Philadelphia Thanksgiving parade and festivities, but give you more bang for your buck, with new construction homes starting in the low $200s. The Brandywine Town Centre, Concord Mall, golf courses, country clubs and state parks are all just minutes from the affordable luxury homes at Darley Green.

Our model homes are available for viewing from 11am-6pm, seven days a week. To learn more about Delaware living at Darley Green please contact Amy Muluski at 302-655-2600.