The iconic Bud Billiken Parade, the largest and most prestigious African American parade in the United States, is celebrating its 95th anniversary Saturday, Aug. 10, on Chicago’s South Side.
The star-studded parade and ensuing festival will commence at 10 a.m. with Chicago-born Hollywood star Jason Weaver serving as this year’s grand marshal. The Bud Billiken Parade will start on 41st Street and Rev. Martin Luther King Dr. Weaver and other dignitaries will lead the procession south on King, going through Washington Park, and end at Garfield Boulevard (55th Street) and Ellsworth Drive. The parade and festival will include free back-to-school supplies for the children and a plethora of food, games and giveaways.
Weaver, 45, got his breakout role playing in The Lion King. He then solidified his star status with major roles in successive classic films like ATL and Drumline and, not coincidentally, the iconic series “The Chi.”
“I am thrilled to serve as the grand marshal for the 95th Annual Bud Billiken Parade,” Weaver said of this indelible cultural phenomenon that began when Herbert Hoover was the U.S. president in 1929.
“As many people know, the Bud Billiken Parade is a staple and I am so happy to be a part of this legacy,” Weaver added. “Not only am I happy to represent Chicago, it’s [also] exciting for the city as a whole to showcase the beautiful youth and culture right before the start of a new school year.”
Weaver is the latest in a long line of preeminent personalities and dignitaries who have served as the grand marshal for the Bud Billiken Parade, including billionaire media mogul Oprah Winfrey, former President Barack Obama, NBA legend Michael Jordan, singer Chaka Khan, rap eminence T.I. and local superstar Chance the Rapper.
Myiti Sengstacke-Rice, the president and CEO of the Chicago Defender Charities and
Bud Billiken Parade Chair, is elated that “hometown hero” Weaver is serving as the grand marshal this year.
“We are super excited about him,” she said. “He’s [a little] shy, but he’s done so many, many things over the years. He was the first to be Simba on The Lion King. That was 30 years ago. Now, 30 years later, we have a young man named Albert “AJ” Rhodes Jr. who’s from Chicago [and] who’s on Broadway performing The Lion King. And he will be at the parade, as well.”
Sengstacke-Rice revealed how the Bud Billiken Parade has thrived through five generations in her family and totals 120 years of a rich legacy. “So I’m very blessed and grateful. And I always say, ‘This is not my legacy. It’s our legacy.’ ”
The Bud Billiken Parade was started in 1929 by Robert Sengstacke, Sengstacke-Rice’s great uncle. She said he wanted to celebrate the young boys who would deliver newspapers “in the rain, sleet and snow” when that was the major form of news delivery.
“They were being taught entrepreneurship, and he just wanted something nice for them and to celebrate them and their talents. So many of them were talented and we had a news boys band back in the day. We had Nat King Cole who was a part of that. We had some greats come out of that,” she shared.
Sengstacke-Rice said the Bud Billiken Parade will also show love for honorary grand marshals who have given back to the community. This will include Jemal King (9 to 5 millionaire/real estate investor), Keena Barber (CEO, WBD Marketing), Latisha Waters (CEO, Empire Dance Company), Hosea Sanders (ABC7 Chicago Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist), and Che “Rhymefest” Smith (candidate for CPS Board District 10).
The Bud Billiken Festival will take place from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. in the storied Washington Park where families will be able to immerse themselves in an array of activities provided by local vendors, in addition to on-site food and entertainment, free school supplies, giveaways, free haircuts and hair braiding along with health checks for adults and children.
“I want people to come out and just enjoy,” Sengstacke-Rice said. “It is a family gathering. It’s barbecues. It’s laughter. It is fun. Come to the festival. That’s also our big back-to-school giveaway. That’s what we do for the kids every year.”
Those who want to contribute to the Bud Billiken Parade and festival, log onto their website at budbillikenpray.org.
