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By most accounts, New York City hosts the most famous Thanksgiving Day Parade in the country, attracting 2 million spectators along the line of march and another 80 million people who watch it on TV.
But the longest-running Thanksgiving Day Parade in the country takes place in Philadelphia, where it began in 1920. The New York City parade did not begin until 1924.
Detroit actually nudges the Big Apple down to third place among long-running (or long-marching) parades. The Thanksgiving Day parade in both cities began in 1924, but New York shut down its parade for three years during World War II and donated the rubber balloons to the war effort. Detroit canceled its parade only twice during the war.
Detroit does own one piece of Thanksgiving Day history: the Lions have played in more Turkey Day football games than any other NFL team. Detroit started the tradition in 1934 and has played on Thanksgiving Day every year since, except when the league went on hiatus during World War II. (The Lions lost that first Thanksgiving game to the Chicago Bears by a score of 19-16.)
Chicago, by the way, has been marching on Thanksgiving Day since 1934.
