On Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 28, before partaking of turkey and dressing, head to Downtown Houston to cheer on our very own mascot, Ed-U-Gator, in the 75th Annual H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade. Be sure to get your alligator visor at the parade to be a part of the sea of green as UHD Gators sport the latest look. And join in the gasps and cheers (“Go Gators!”) as the 45-foot-tall balloon dominates the streets of Houston.
With more than 90 UHD volunteers signed up to help Ed-U-Gator navigate the parade route, we’ve already exceeded last year’s participation.
Assistant Vice President of University Relations Debra McGaughey, who organizes UHD’s participation in the parade, said, “Last year’s debut of the balloon was exhilarating. More than a million people saw our UHD pride on television. This year is particularly special as a grand finale for our 50th anniversary year.”
Ed-U-Gator joins colorful floats, marching bands, and other high-flying balloons in one of the country’s oldest Thanksgiving Day parades. The H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade is a regional holiday tradition televised by KHOU-TV (CBS) in Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, New Orleans, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and other southeastern U.S. cities and watched by 1.8 million people. For more information about the parade, visit www.houstontx.gov/thanksgivingparade/.