Detroiters are getting ready for the annual Thanksgiving Day parade.  The event brings floats, singing acts, and clowns down Woodward Avenue – culminating in the arrival of Santa around noon. 

A longstanding crowd favorite returns this year.  The Fred Hill briefcase drill team will be back in the parade after an absence of more than a decade.  Scott Idle leads the reconstituted team. 

“The briefcase kind of doesn’t exist anymore.  People don’t take them to work anymore and backpacks have replaced briefcases and such.  So I feel like us marching with the joy that we’re going to bring – the energy.  We’re there to bring people smiles.  And we want kids to ask their parents, ‘What are those boxes they’re carrying?’”  

The parade kicks off just before 9 a.m.  For those of you who don’t want to deal with the crowds or the traffic or the cold, you can watch it in your pajamas on WDIV-TV. 

The parade is leading to some road closures downtown.  Woodward will be closed, starting today, from Grand Boulevard all the way down to Jefferson as workers prepare the route for tomorrow’s event.  

If you’re headed downtown, parking meters will be free tomorrow and Friday.  Just make sure you’re not parking somewhere illegally.  And the People Mover is up and running again to get you around downtown. 

Additional headlines for Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Lions Preview 

Downtown will be busy Thursday – not only for the parade, but also for the Detroit Lions annual NFL Thanksgiving Day football game.  The team will host the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field. 

The Thanksgiving tradition began back in 1934. 

This year’s game is important to the Lions’ playoff prospects.  The team is currently in third place in the NFC North.  That’s despite having a record of seven wins and four losses.  Green Bay has seven wins, three losses and one tie.  And both teams are behind the Chicago Bears in the division with eight wins and three losses. 

Just seven teams from the NFC will make it to the playoffs, and the Lions currently are in eighth place.  Kick off at Ford Field is Thursday afternoon at 1 p.m.

Thanksgiving travel 

If you’re headed out of town for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, make sure to pack your patience. 

AAA predicts a record number of Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the next few days.  The auto club says Thanksgiving is typically the busiest travel holiday of the year.  73 million people are expected to be on the roads, with another 6 million flying around the country. 

Wednesday afternoon and Sunday are expected to be the busiest travel days. 

If you’re driving to your destination, gas prices here in metro Detroit average $3.01 per gallon.  That’s 10 cents less than last week. 

Watch for lake effect snow if you’re headed west towards Chicago.  If you’re headed up north, beware that a storm is bringing heavy snowfall to parts of the state. 

And since the Detroit Evening Report is taking a break for Thanksgiving and Black Friday, here are a couple of things to keep an eye on over the next few days. 

Black Friday preview 

Retailers are expecting a hectic Black Friday on the day after Thanksgiving.  It’s typically one of the busiest shopping days of the year – with stores offering discounts to draw customers inside. 

Vic Veda is with the Michigan Retailers Association. She says shopping locally makes a difference. 

“There are a lot of great benefits to shopping in person and in your local community.  Every purchase that you shift from an out-of-state online retailer back into your local economy makes a huge impact on our state’s overall economic activity and employment. Literally, every purchase does make a difference.”   

You can expect to see heavy traffic around metro Detroit malls and shopping centers on Friday. 

UM-OSU 

The long-standing college football rivalry between the University of Michigan and Ohio State will be center stage on Saturday afternoon. 

The undefeated Buckeyes are ranked number one in the country, while the Wolverines, with a record of nine wins and two losses, are ranked 15th.  But those rankings often mean little in this grudge match dating back to 1897. 

Michigan beat Ohio State 13 to 10 in Columbus last year.  This year’s game takes place in Ann Arbor at noon on Saturday. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Dearborn school system has named a new interim superintendent, Lamis Srour. 

She currently serves as the Executive Director of Student Achievement over the Edsel Ford Feeder Track, a position she’s held for the past three years.  Srour started working with the Dearborn School District in 1998. 

She tells the school board that her focus will be on improving attendance, stopping bullying and repairing infrastructure. 

Srour’s first day on the job will be Dec. 5.  She’s filling in after the departure of Glenn Maleyko, who’s leaving to become the new head of the Michigan Department of Education. 

Additional headlines from Wednesday November 12, 2025

Hamtramck election 

The controversy continues in Hamtramck’s mayoral election. 

The contest between Adam Alharbi and Muhith Mahmood has still not been decided more than a week after Election Day. There’s a difference of just 11 votes between the two candidates out of about four thousand ballots cast. 

Alharbi has sued, charging that Mahmood is not a Hamtramck resident.  And City Clerk Rana Faraj has been placed on administrative leave.  With Faraj on leave, Wayne County is checking dozens of absentee ballots. 

People Mover closed temporarily 

If you usually use the People Mover to get around downtown Detroit, you’ll need another way to get where you’re going. 

The system is shut down for a few days as workers make repairs and upgrades in advance of the traditionally busy Thanksgiving holiday weekend.  A new track switch will be installed for the elevated railway. 

The People Mover will resume operations on Sunday, Nov. 23.   

Shields fight deal 

Flint boxer Clarissa Shields has signed a multi-fight deal worth $8 million. 

She has a record of 17 wins and no losses.  That includes 3 knockouts.  ESPN says Shields’ next fight is expected to happen sometime early next year. 

Keep home safe while traveling

AAA Michigan says now’s the time to start thinking about holiday travel plans. 

The auto club says there are a few things you can do to keep your home safe while you’re away for a few days.  Make sure to place lights on a timer—indoors and outdoors—to make it appear someone is at home.  Set your thermostat lower, but not too low.  You can save some money by using less heat while you’re gone, but don’t set the thermostat below 55 degrees.  If the house gets too cold, pipes could freeze and burst. 

And don’t tell the world about your travel plans on social media.  There’s no need to advertise that your house is empty. 

Gas prices on the rise

Metro Detroit gas prices are fluctuating as we get closer to Thanksgiving.  AAA Michigan says the average price of a gallon of self-serve unleaded is $3.05.  That’s down four cents from the same time last week.  But it’s 12 cents per gallon more than a month ago. 

Industry analysts say, while demand for gas has fallen, supplies have dwindled, too. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.