Energized crowd turns out for Bud Billiken Parade: 'It's the bond. It's the tumbling. It's the food.'

Minutes before the Bud Billiken Parade kicked off Saturday morning, Rosetta Dixon could barely contain her excitement from her spot near the starting line at Martin Luther King Drive and 39th Street in Bronzeville.

“It’s just magnificent,” said Dixon, 65, of the West Side, who brought her great nieces along. “It’s the bond. It’s the tumbling. It’s the food. It’s marvelous that we can all come together and just celebrate each other.”

There was plenty of joy and fellowship at the South Side parade — now in its 95th year — as people set up chairs and tents and fired up grills along King Drive. Proud family members, teachers and friends watched as majorettes in cowboy boots danced to Beyoncé, drill teams twirled purple rifles, and brass bands played ‘60s soul music. “The Chi” actor and singer Jason Weaver served as grand marshal, leading the parade south to Washington Park for the “Back to School” festival.

Parade Chair Myiti Sengstacke-Rice said it is the spirit of people like Dixon that has sustained the event, which is branded the largest African American parade in the United States. The gathering features hundreds of participants and draws hundreds of thousands of attendees, said Sengstacke-Rice, the great-grandniece of newspaper publisher Robert Sengstacke Abbott, who created the fictional character Bud Billiken.

“It's a part of our culture and it's part of our tradition,” said Sengstacke-Rice, who is also the president and chief executive of the Chicago Defender Charities, which oversees the event. “It’s a staple in Chicago and in America, really, because we have people come from all over the world to participate. The energy of the community is what keeps the parade going.”

The Bud Billiken Parade has been a tradition for families for decades, like Carl Mason's. He came to support his 17-year-old brother, a member of the Bringing Out Talent dance team.

“Our whole family does the Bud," said Mason, 22, of Englewood, who has previously danced in the event. “Each generation gets a turn. Now it’s his turn.”

Chicagoans have been dancing in the parade since its early days. On Saturday, a truck featured a mobile screen showing archival footage of the event in the '40s and '50s. Participants did their own version of footwork and were dressed up in their Sunday best.

Mayor Brandon Johnson and Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx were in hand, in more casual attire.

Former Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White participated in the parade with his notable tumbling team.

“It’s inspiring to have the community be involved with something positive,” said White, who is 90. “We do about 65 or 70 parades, but we look forward to doing this one every year.”

Sporting black and gold, Candice Johnson brought her 10-year-old son, Tystan Williams, to support the King High School majorettes. Johnson's mother previously coached the team.

“These are still her babies, so I still come out and represent for them,” said Johnson, who lives on the far South Side. “I love the turnout. I love how we as a community come out and support each other and see the kids."

Sengstacke-Rice said Weaver was a fitting grand marshal because he was a former child performer who continues to give back to Chicago.

"For the kids to see someone that looks like them, who has accomplished so much come back, it's really exciting to see that," she said.

The Bud Billiken Parade is the major fundraiser for the Chicago Defender Charities, which has awarded more than $75,000 in scholarships to students this year.

"When you see Bud Billiken, it dispels the whole idea that Chicago is so negative,” Sengstacke-Rice said. "What people will see is the tradition, the love and the unity in our community."