Mickey and Minnie to be grand marshals of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile Lights Festival
Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse are heading to Chicago for the BMO Harris Bank Magnificent Mile Lights Festival parade and tree lighting event.
The festival takes place Nov. 16 and Nov. 17 ending with a tree-lighting parade featuring Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse help illuminate more than one million lights along North Michigan Avenue, from Oak Street to the Chicago River.
The festival starts off Nov. 16, 2018, from 4 to 8 p.m. as the Lights Festival Lane, at 401 N. Michigan Avenue, offers a range of holiday-themed activities for kids and adults.
On Nov. 17, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. there are more booths and activities, including the opportunity to visit Santa Claus. Live musical performances return to the BMO Harris Bank Stage starting Sat 11:30 a.m. with singer-songwriter Cailee Rae. The lineup also includes Cozi Zuehlsdorff, star of the recently released Disney Channel Original Movie “Freaky Friday.”
Saturday’s festivities lead up to the much-anticipated tree-lighting parade starting at 5:30 p.m. Grand marshals Mickey and Minnie will be joined by Disney characters, including Woody and Jessie from “Toy Story” and Timon and Rafiki from “The Lion King”; and more than 40 helium-filled balloons, and six marching bands from around the country.
Crowd favorites return to the route, including the larger-than-life Hubert the Lion balloon from BMO Harris Bank; and popular Chicago team mascots Benny the Bull and Tommy the Hawk.
Celebrity appearances along the parade route include YouTube sensation, Alex Aiono; Louis York, the creation of multi-Grammy nominated songwriting and production duo Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony; and American vocalist, YaDonna West.
Santa Claus will also make an appearance. The evening concludes with a fireworks display over the Chicago River.
