Celebrating its 27th year, the 2011 Ameren Missouri Thanksgiving Day Parade will step off at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday, November 24 from the corner of Washington Avenue and Fourth Street in downtown St. Louis. The parade will be broadcast live on KMOV-TV Channel 4’s “Great Day St. Louis.”
Adding even more holiday hoopla to an already festive event, the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters harlemglobetrotters.com were named Honorary Grand Marshals of the 2011 Ameren Missouri Thanksgiving Day Parade.
“The Harlem Globetrotters are one of the most famous and recognizable basketball teams in the world,” said Steve Peirce, president of the Christmas in St. Louis Foundation. “They are entertaining, enduring and endearing. It is truly grand to have the Globetrotters in the parade and we look forward to their performance.”
Now in its 27th year, the parade will begin at 8:45 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 24 from the corner of Washington Avenue and Fourth Street in downtown St. Louis. It will be broadcast live (starting at 8 a.m.) on KMOV-TV Channel 4’s “Great Day St. Louis.”
Among the headliners for the Globetrotters are Jacob “Hops” Tucker and Scooter Christensen.
A native of Carlyle, Ill., Tucker (at only 5-10) sports a 50-inch vertical leap and amazingly won the 2011 College Slam Dunk Championship, representing Illinois College.
Christensen is one of the best ball handlers in the world. He has the unique distinction of holding two Guinness World Records, one for the longest time spinning a basketball on one's head and one's nose.
Tucker and Christensen will return to St. Louis with their teammates as part of their 2012 World Tour. Fans can see them live on Friday, Jan. 6 at the Scottrade Center. Tip off is 7 p.m.
Serving as Honorary Grand Marshal will be Vince Bommarito, a lifelong resident of St. Louis. The civic-minded Bommarito is owner of Tony’s, an award-winning, internationally renowned restaurant in downtown St. Louis.
In addition to dozens of magnificent floats and colorful helium balloons, the parade will feature area marching 
bands, the annual Battle of the Bands Contest and more than 100 different groups encompassing 300 volunteers. As a Christmas in St. Louis partner, the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission’s (CVC) Holiday Magic stlholidaymagic.com team will once again participate in this year’s parade. The Holiday Magic mascot, Snowflake, will also be on hand.
The annual Ameren Missouri Thanksgiving Day Parade is hosted by Christmas in St. Louis along with presenting sponsor Ameren Missouri and the City of St. Louis. The parade charitable recipients are the Academy of St. Louis and the Miriam Foundation.
