Greeks of Detroit Gear Up for Independence Day Parade
Greeks of Detroit Gear Up for Independence Day Parade
The 23rd Annual Detroit Greek Independence Day Parade will be held on Sunday, April 6, at 3 PM in Greektown, downtown Detroit. It celebrates the 104th anniversary of Greek Independence.
The parade will feature the Hellenic Presidential Guard (Evzones), and dignitaries such as Michigan Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Consul General of Greece in Chicago Emmanuel Koubarakis, and Grand Marshal Vasilios Vouharas.
Archbishop Elpidophoros of America will also attend and lead a prayer service at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral at 11:30 AM on Parade Sunday.
The Detroit Greek Parade is a celebratory, family-friendly, and community-oriented way to preserve and promote the proud Hellenic heritage of the Greek community in Detroit, Windsor, and Southeast Michigan.
Featuring 60+ groups, including church and student organizations, traditional dance groups, a dozen members of the official Presidential Guard of Greece in historic uniform, church and community leaders, mascots and entertainment from Detroit sports teams, and more.
The Detroit Greek Independence Day Parade helps support the Hellenic Museum of Michigan through community grants and awards, school and collegiate outreach, and fundraising.
New route for the Independence Parade in Detroit
This year, the parade will follow a new route due to the streetscape project on Monroe Street, beginning on Lafayette Street and traveling up Beaubien (under the People Mover), and ending at Macomb Street. Parade-goers are encouraged to line Beaubien Street for the best viewing opportunity.
The Parade Sunday schedule begins with the Hierarchical Doxology prayer service at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 707 E. Lafayette Street, presided over by Archbishop Elpidophoros, joined by Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit.
At 2 PM, the reception for dignitaries will be held, as well as a dance performance and press preview inside the Atheneum Suite Hotel, 1000 Brush Street.
At 3 PM, the Parade begins at 600 E. Lafayette (southeast corner of Greektown Casino), travels west to Beaubien Street, turns onto Beaubien and travels north past Monroe Street (closed for streetscape project), then concludes at Macomb Street.
The post-parade ceremony, dance performances and street festival take place at 4 PM.
More information is available online: https://www.greekparades.com/.
Detroit Greek Independence Parade follows New York’s
The Detroit Parade follows the NYC Parade on Sunday at the famed Fifth Avenue, which was filled with thousands of Greek-Americans and others.
Proudly waving the white-and-blue Greek flag, they participated in the final of the weekend-long festivities that this year marked 204 years since the start of the Greek Revolution against the Ottoman Turks.
This year’s Grand Marshals of the parade were General Andrew Poppas, the first Greek American-born four-star US Army General, alongside Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Patras, the Metropolis where the Greek War of Independence began and Evangelos Marinakis, businessman and President of Olympiacos Soccer Team, which this year celebrates its centennial.
Related: Trump Hosts Greek Independence Day Celebration at the White House