The first Thanksgiving Day parade in 1920 was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , organized by the Gimbel Brothers department store.

Quick Scoop

  • The 1920 event is widely recognized as the first Thanksgiving Day parade in the United States.
  • It was created by Gimbels department store as a promotional kickoff to the holiday shopping season in Philadelphia.
  • The parade route was in Center City Philadelphia, with the procession moving along Market Street toward the Gimbels store at Eighth and Market.

Extra Context

  • Philadelphia’s Thanksgiving parade predates the now more famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City by several years.
  • The original 1920 parade was relatively small, largely made up of Gimbels employees in costume, but it established a tradition that continues in updated form today.

TL;DR: The answer to “where was the first thanksgiving day parade held in 1920” is: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, hosted by Gimbels on and around Market Street in Center City.

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