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Chicago Columbus Day Parade rolls through the Loop
Chicago’s 74th annual Columbus Day Parade features celebrity grand marshals, street closures and celebrations of Italian American heritage.
CHICAGO - Chicago’s Loop will be busy Monday as the annual Columbus Day Parade returns with a new route and several traffic closures.
Columbus Day in Chicago
The 74th Annual Columbus Day Parade celebrates Italian American Heritage Month. Opening ceremonies are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at Wacker Drive and Dearborn Street.
The parade is expected to step off at noon and continue south on Dearborn Street to Van Buren Street.
The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans organizes the parade.
This year’s grand marshals include actor Tony Danza, original Foreigner lead singer Lou Gramm and Cristiana Dell’Anna, who starred in the film "Cabrini."
The parade will also recognize Campania as the 2026 Region of Honor.
Traffic closures
The parade route has moved to Dearborn Street because of ongoing construction on State Street.
Dearborn Street will be closed from Wacker Drive to Jackson Boulevard from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Full intersection closures are expected at Wacker Drive and Dearborn Street and Washington Street and Dearborn Street beginning at 11 a.m.
Drivers should also expect heavy delays and lane closures on Wacker Drive as crews prepare for the parade.
What's next:
The parade is expected to wrap up around 2 p.m. A post-parade reception will bring additional closures on Rush Street near Cedar Street.
The Source: The information in this story came from the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans and the City of Chicago.