A storied horse troop from Culver Military Academy is once again taking part in a longstanding holiday tradition.
Culver Military Academy’s Friesian Mounted Color Guard will be riding in the McDonald’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Chicago. This is the third time in the past four years the color guard has participated in the parade. It will be televised regionally, nationally, and streamed online by WGN.
The gala will step off at 9 a.m. EST/8 a.m. CST and run about a mile along State Street from Congress north to Randolph. The festivities are expected to last about three hours, with temperatures forecast in the low to mid-40s.
The Friesian Mounted Color Guard consists of six horses from the Black Horse Troop. It’s is just one of two single breed military color guard units in the country. The other is the United States Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard, which is comprised of Palominos.
The McDonald’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is one of the largest holiday parades in the country, with more than 5,000 participants and relying on 1,300 volunteers. The parade’s origins go back to 1934, when it was called the Christmas Caravan. The parade was conducted as a way to lift the spirits of Chicago residents suffering through the Great Depression.
