OUR HISTORY

About the Parade:

The La Grange Pet Parade began in 1947 by the La Grange Chamber of Commerce, whose president was Ed Breen of Breen’s Cleaners, intending to bring the community together around the idea of a pet and child costume contest parading down the main street of the village. The parade grew to include entries from local schools, businesses and non-profit groups, but was still always planned by local business people. Throughout the 1970’s into the 1990’s, the WGN Television Network televised the parade. Since then, LTTV has filmed and broadcast the event on local access cable or YouTube.

The parade walks through downtown La Grange stepping off at 9:30am and is a route of approximately 1.5 miles. Along the parade route, there are three (3) street announcing stations. These announcing stations are located near the following: Palmer Place, GP Italiano, Stone Avenue Station. This annual tradition is one of the most talked about parades of Chicagoland. It draws tens of thousands of people to the area. The Pet Parade provides fun and entertainment for the entire family!

About the Non-Profit:

Starting in 1999, a non-profit with Board of Directors was set up to help fund this beloved community event. The Non-Profit was originally called Pets & Pals Charities but was changed to Pet Parade Charities in 2016. This non-profit raises funds to offset the costs of paid entertainment acts, sound systems during the parade and to hire a part-time employee to keep track of parade logistics/communication.

Pet Parade Charities gives back by giving grants to area pet non-profits and hiring many acts that are themselves non-profits to entertain the crowds, such as the Jesse White Tumblers, South Shore Drill Team and Shriners groups. Even payments to team mascots such as Tommy Hawk of the Blackhawks are raised for the Blackhawks Foundation that gives to Chicagoland families.

Mission Statement: Pet Parade Charities is dedicated to bringing our neighbors, friends, and families together to celebrate the special bond between people, their pets, and our community. Through our sponsorship of the cherished La Grange Pet Parade and our support for local animal nonprofits, we strengthen the connections that make our community thrive. Non-profit Tax ID: 36-4276511

Please continue to support Pet Parade Charities to ensure the longevity of this event. Click here to learn the many way to participate in this years parade!