Chicago, Dec 1, 2022 (Yes Punjab News)
The Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago www.pcschicago.org (PCS) participated in the Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 24, 2022, on the legendary State Street in the heart of downtown Chicago.
The Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parade is considered the second best parade in the nation and the city’s premier holiday event.
Several thousand spectators watched the parade in person and millions more watched it on TV.
The well decorated PCS float was dedicated to thanking the FARMERS worldwide. The theme honored the farmers who toil hard to grow the food to feed the world. The float was decked up to look like a patch of agricultural farm including a tractor and the farming enactment with farm implements.
Punjabi Bhangra music blasting out of the DJ sound system filled the city block, and a live Punjabi Dhol beat music led the walking unit free-style street dancing Bhangra on State street, interacting with the spectators, entertaining them and receiving their thunderous applause.
Crowds of people lined up early along the well decorated State Street in the Loop to celebrate the 88th year of the Thanksgiving Day Parade. This year, nearly 100 parade units took part including top marching bands from 16 high schools and universities, 29 colorful multi-cultural groups including Punjabi Cultural Society representing Chicago’s neighborhoods, equestrian groups, and many more. The weather held up very nicely which helped a post-Covid19 big crowd gather and cheer on the participants.
The parade, co-hosted by actors Jen Lilley and Jesse Hutch, travelled up Chicago’s State Street from Ida B. Wells Drive to Randolph Street, also included festive floats, eye-catching staged performances, cultural performance troupes, dance acts, and high flying balloons. A line of Corvettes revving their engines, unicycles, dressed-up dogs, tiny horses, marching bands, kids on shoulders, offering a delightful celebration with jolly sights and sounds for attendees of all ages.
The parade was Live streamed on WCIU CW26 Chicago, channel 26.1, and CFA Events Facebook Live.
A glimpse of the PCS unit in the Thanksgiving day parade can be seen at the following link.
The PCS unit is after 2 hours and 27 minutes from the beginning.
“PCS has been participating in this parade since 2005. It gives our community great exposure in the mainstream, and it shows our commitment to celebrate the American festivals, in solidarity with the American people,” said Balwinder Singh Girn the P.C.S. Board of Advisors.
The PCS participation was coordinated by Jigerdeep Singh Dhillon, Gurpreet Singh Sidhu, Bikram Singh Sohi, Gurlal Singh Bhattal, Vick Singh, Balwinder Girn and several volunteers.
Chicago’s Thanksgiving Day Parade started back in 1934, when it was called the Christmas Caravan. The parade was created to help lift the spirits of those suffering through the Great Depression. What once started as an attempt to boost Chicago’s economy, has evolved into a cherished holiday tradition for Americans across the country.
PCS’ Upcoming Events:
– “Rangla Punjab 2023,” Punjabi cultural variety program of music, songs, giddha and Bhangra dances to celebrate Vaisakhi festival on Saturday, March 25, 2023 at College OF DuPage, Glen Ellyn, IL. The performance item’s registrations will begin in December.
– The 40th.”Annual Asian American Coalition of Chicago Lunar New Year Dinner Banquet,” is on Saturday, February 18, 2023 at Hyatt Regency O’Hare, Rosemont, IL, hosted by the Vietnamese American community of Chicago. PCS has been a longtime AACC partner, supporting and co-hosting AACC events.
Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago (PCS) is an all-volunteer nonprofit 501 (c)3 organization promoting education, good citizenship, community development, civic engagement, and preserving Punjabi culture, language, sports and performing arts among its community members and mainstream Americans in the Midwest and beyond. PCS caters to this need both by directly organizing events that bring community members together from all over the Midwest region, and by facilitating participation of its community members in mainstream activities.
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