[Press Conference: “2023 H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade Details”]
[00:00:19]
GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.WE ARE ROUNDING THE BASES IN HOUSTON THAT END OF THE YEAR WHERE WE CELEBRATE THAT BIG TRADITION.
WE LIKE TO ROUND OUR BASES HERE TWO WAYS, THOUGH.
ONE MIGHT BE WITH AN ASTROS CHAMPIONSHIP
OKAY, I'M STARTING TO SOUND LIKE MY PARENTS NOW.
THIS MORNING I REALIZE I REALLY DO.
YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR MOM'S LIKE, GIRL, IT IS TIME FOR THAT.
I THOUGHT WE JUST SAID THAT YESTERDAY.
UM, I'D LIKE TO BRING TO THE PODIUM SOMEBODY WHO OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT NEED AN INTRODUCTION, BUT WE DID FIND OUT SOMETHING NEW ABOUT HIM RECENTLY.
WE'VE KNOWN HIM AS A LEGISLATOR.
UM, WE'VE KNOWN HIM AS A LAWYER, BUT HE IS ALSO A COMEDIAN.
HE DID HIS, HAD HIS DEBUT AT THE IMPROV.
SO WE EXPECT SOME FUNNY JOKES.
MAYOR, PLEASE WELCOME TO THE STAGE THE HONORABLE MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER.
I'M JUST LOOKING FOR A JOB ON JANUARY 1ST.
SO, LOOK, UH, LET ME, LET ME THANK DEBORAH DUNCAN AGAIN FOR, FOR JUST COMING AND MCING US TODAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE HOLIDAY SEASON, UH, IS A FAVORITE TIME OF THE, OF THE YEAR FOR ME, AND IT IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
THE HOLIDAYS ARE ABOUT FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND ENJOYING THE 74TH ANNUAL HEB THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE.
AND OF COURSE, IT WILL BE ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER THE 23RD.
GENERATIONS OF HOUSTONIANS HAVE ENJOYED THIS FREE FAMILY FRIENDLY PARADE, AND I INVITE ALL OF YOU TO JOIN US TO CELEBRATE THIS TRADITION TOGETHER.
OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS AND I DO UNDERSCORE GENEROUS, UH, AND THEY'RE, UH, UH, ARE, ARE HERE.
AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE CITY HELPS TO MAKE THIS, UH, EVENT A REALITY.
HE B'S TITLE SPONSORSHIP ALLOWS THE PARADE TO CONTINUE TO DELIGHT US WITH NEW AND IMAGINATIVE ELEMENTS EACH YEAR.
AND I SO APPRECIATE THEIR SUPPORT OF THIS ICONIC CELEBRATION.
AND LET ME THINK, WANE, SHE AND I HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR A LONG TIME.
AND THEN THA UH, I, I JUST WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO HEB FAMILY, UH, FOR THEIR MAJOR SUPPORT TO KEEP THIS 74TH YEAR OLD THANKSGIVING DAY TRADITION ROLLING.
AND I'M TRULY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT HEB DOES FOR THIS CITY.
UH, THEY ARE THE TITLE SPONSOR FOR THIS EVENT, AND THEY DO SO MUCH MORE.
SO PLEASE GIVE IT UP AGAIN TO HEB WANE.
THE LARGEST RODEO IN THE WORLD, THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO RETURNS AS A PARADE SPONSOR.
GIVE IT UP TO THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO.
THANK YOU TO MUFFY AND THE ENTIRE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UH, FOR YOUR SPONSORSHIP AND SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, WE HAVE A BRAND NEW SEGMENT SPONSOR THIS YEAR, SITCO, GIVE IT UP TO SITCO.
LOOK, WE HAVE WORKED WITH THEM ON MANY EVENTS AND IMPORTANT INITIATIVES FOR HOUSTON, AND WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE A GREAT PARTNER.
SO THANK YOU ISHA AND TEAM SITCO FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THIS AMAZING PARADE.
AND BRINGING SANTA TO TOWN TO CLOSE OUT THE PARADE IS HOLLAND VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTER.
GIVE IT UP TO HOLLAND VILLAGE.
I WANNA SAY THANKS TO HAIDA BAI, A PERSONAL FRIEND, SOMEONE THAT I'VE KNOWN FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AND VALUE HIS RELATIONSHIP.
UH, SO THANK YOU TO HOLLAND VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTER, HEIDI BAI BAI, FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THIS PARADE AND FOR HELPING TO GET US AND THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT, THE HYATT REGENCY DOWNTOWN HOUSTON IS THE OFFICIAL HOTEL.
GIVE IT UP TO THE HYATT REGENCY.
VISIT HOUSTON THANKSGIVING PARADE.ORG FOR SPECIAL THANKSGIVING WEEKEND PASSAGES.
YOU BETTER GET 'EM NOW 'CAUSE THEY'LL BE RUNNING OUT.
SO GET YOUR PACKAGE FROM THE HYATT REGENCY DOWNTOWN HOUSTON, UH, NOUN.
AND I WANT TO THANK OUR BROADCAST PARTNER, K-H-O-U-T-V, CHANNEL 11.
GIVE IT UP TO THEM FOR THOSE WATCHING AT HOME.
AND A SPECIAL THANKS AGAIN, UH, TO DEBORAH AND TO DELL, UH, IN THIS CASE HERE
[00:05:01]
FOR NOW FOR DEBORAH DUNCAN.THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH PLEASURE.
AND THANKS TO MY, UH, DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EVENTS, SUSAN CHRISTIAN.
GIVE IT UP TO SUSAN AND GIVE IT UP TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE SPECIAL EVENTS TEAM THAT DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB.
YOU KNOW, THEY, UH, YOU WON'T FIND A SPECIAL EVENTS TEAM AND CREW, UH, BETTER ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES, AND THEY CERTAINLY ARE ON IT EVERY SINGLE WEEK.
AND I, I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO THEM, UH, FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE, FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE WORK.
UH, AND SO, UH, THEY PRODUCE, UH, MANY EVENTS EVERY SINGLE WEEK.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO IT, UH, BUT THEY GET IT DONE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL DOWNTOWN ON THANKSGIVING MORNING.
IT IS NOW MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE OUR TITLE SPONSOR AND SOMEONE WHO IN 80 YEARS, UH, HAS, I DON'T THINK SHE'S TOLD ME NO
NOW, ISN'T THAT AMAZING,
BUT TO WANE HERRING, THE GROUP VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT HEB HOUSTON, GIVE IT UP TO WANE HERRING.
YES, YOU KEEP THAT STREET GOING, RIGHT,
IT'S GREAT TO BE WITH YOU TODAY.
AND HEB IS INCREDIBLY THANKFUL TO CELEBRATE THIS CHERISHED HOLIDAY EVENT WITH YOU AND OUR FELLOW HOUSTONIANS.
YOU KNOW, MAYOR, UH, AS YOU MENTIONED, HE B'S BEEN A PART OF THIS PARADE FOR MANY YEARS, 17 YEARS TO BE EXACT, BUT THE LAST EIGHT YEARS WITH YOU OF THE HELM AT THE HELM HAVE BEEN VERY SPECIAL FOR ME AND ALL OF US AT HEB.
YOU'VE BEEN A STRONG CHAMPION FOR ALL OF HOUSTON THROUGHOUT YOUR TIME IN OFFICE.
ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND ALL OF US AT HEB, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR COMMITMENT, AND YOUR SERVICE TO OUR GREAT CITY.
NOW IT'S MY SINCERE HONOR TO ANNOUNCE THE GRAND MARSHALL OF THE 74TH ANNUAL HEB THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE DRUM, OUR FEARLESS LEADER, DRUM ROLL.
OUR FEARLESS LEADER, MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER, ME, GOT HIM OFF GUARD, CAUGHT HIM OFF GUARD, WHICH IS HARD TO DO, HARD TO DO.
MAYOR TURNER WILL BE JOINED BY ROCKETS, LEGEND CALVIN MURPHY AND RUDY T IS CO GRAND MARSHALLS.
CALVIN MURPHY IS A FORMER LONGTIME NBA ROCKETS BASKETBALL PLAYER AND A MEMBER OF THE NAYSMITH BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME.
HE WAS THE FIRST HALL OF FAMER TO PLAY HIS ENTIRE CAREER WITH THE ROCKETS, AND HE'S NO STRANGER TO THE PARADE.
THIS NBA LEGEND HAS PARTICIPATED AS LEADER OF THE CALVIN MURPHY'S MARCHING THUNDER FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS.
SO LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR CALVIN MURPHY, ONE OF OUR, AND ALSO RUDY T RUDY, TOM JANOVIC.
HE SPENT HIS ENTIRE PLAYING CAREER WITH THE ROCKETS, AND AS A MEMBER OF THE NAYSMITH HALL OF FAME, AFTER PLAYING HIS CAREER, HE, UH, SPENT EIGHT YEARS AS AN ASSISTANT COACH AND THE HEAD COACH OF THE ROCKETS FROM 1992 TO 2003, LEADING THEM TO TWO CONSECUTIVE CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 1994 AND 1995.
BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE WE'RE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE, UH, AND FEATURE 18 FLOATS THIS YEAR, WHICH WILL INCLUDE MANY OF OUR FAN FAVORITES, PLUS SOME EXCITING NEW ONES.
SUSAN WAS JUST TELLING ME ABOUT A FEW VERY EXCITING FLOATS.
SO REALLY, UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PARADE THIS YEAR, WE'LL HAVE MORE THAN A DOZEN HIGH FLYING BALLOONS, INCLUDING TOM TURKEY, SANTA CLAUS, ALONG WITH MARCHING BANDS, SPECIAL PERFORMERS, THE APACHE BELLS, THE TSU OCEAN OF SOUL, AND SO MUCH MORE.
SO ONCE AGAIN, I WANNA THANK MAYOR TURNER, CALVIN MUR MURPHY, AND RUDY T FOR JOINING US IN CELEBRATING THIS CHERISHED TRADITION.
AND I JUST WANNA LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT HEB IS INCREDIBLY PROUD TO HELP LEAD THIS FANTASTIC PARADE THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN, EACH AND EVERY YEAR.
IT REALLY IS A SPECIAL TIME FOR US AND THIS BELOVED EVENT AND THE MANY CELEBRATIONS THAT WE SHARE WITH OUR PARTNERS AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON IS OUR WAY OF GIVING BACK AND HELPING BRING A LITTLE HOLIDAY SPIRIT TO THE LIVES OF TEXANS.
SO, AS ALWAYS, WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE TO CELEBRATE WITH EACH OF YOU.
AND ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND THE OVER 155,000 HEB PARTNERS, HAPPY THANKSGIVING, I'M GONNA TURN IT BACK OVER TO DEBORAH, HEB.
OKAY, I AM, I THINK YOU WERE THINKING
[00:10:01]
ABOUT SINGING ALSO AS POSSIBLE.JUST A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, JUST A LITTLE, JUST GIVE A LITTLE TASTE OF WHAT YOU GOT GOING ON THERE.
REALLY KISS, YOU KNOW, BABY'S COLD OUTSIDE.
YOU KNOW, BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE, BUT DON'T YOU SEE? OKAY, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO THE COMEDY THING, MAYOR, IF YOU DON'T MIND, WE'LL JUST GO BACK, WE'LL GO BACK TO THAT.
UM, OUR NEXT SPEAKER, UH, IS SOMEONE WHO REPRESENTS SOMETHING THAT IS SO ICONIC IN THIS CITY, SO AMAZING IN THIS CITY, BUT SHE MOVED HERE FROM A SMALL TOWN IN MICHIGAN.
AND SO THEY'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WELL NOW WHAT DO YOU DO DOWN THERE? AND SHE'S LIKE, I WORK FOR THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO.
THEY THINK SHE'S WORKING LIKE WITH A COUPLE OF COWS AND PIGS,
IT'S THE LARGEST RODEO IN THE WORLD.
MSM KING IS A DIRECTOR OF MARKETING FOR THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO.
AND NOW THAT WE KNOW THE MAYORS THE GRAND MARSHAL, I GUESS IT WOULDN'T BE A SURPRISE IF I SAID HE WOULD BE OUR ENTERTAINMENT ON OUR FLOAT, BUT
BUT NO, WE ARE SO HONORED TO BE HERE TODAY.
THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO HAS BEEN A PROUD SUPPORTER OF THE ANNUAL HEB THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE SINCE 2017.
AND ITS PARTNERSHIPS LIKE THIS THAT ALLOW US TO CONTINUE OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORT ALONGSIDE ALL OF THESE OTHER TREMENDOUS PARTNERS THAT ARE STANDING UP HERE WITH US TODAY.
ALL ULTIMATELY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, ALL OF OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE A POSITIVE YEAR ROUND IMPACT FOR OUR CITY.
AND IT'S A, A REAL PLEASURE AND HONOR TO BE STANDING HERE TODAY WITH EVERYONE.
SO WITH ALL OF THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE GEARING UP TO CELEBRATE THE 2024 HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO FEBRUARY 27TH THROUGH MARCH 17TH.
SO WE HOPE THAT YOU ALL MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND GET READY TO JOIN US FOR A MEMORABLE AND FUN CELEBRATION.
BUT FOR A FOUR OF THAT, HERE'S TO A GREAT THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE.
OKAY, SO HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE ALREADY SEEN IT? LIKE YOU'VE DRIVEN DOWN WESTHEIMER, RIGHT AROUND HIGHLAND VILLAGE AND YOU SEE THE LIGHTS AND THE BEAUTIFUL ORNAMENT? OKAY, LAUREN, I STARTED HAVING ANXIETY ATTACK 'CAUSE I'M LIKE, MY SHOPPING IS NOT DONE YET.
PLEASE WELCOME MS. LAUREN LEO, REPRESENTATIVE FOR HIGHLAND VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTER.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE ABOUT TO SAY LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION.
I WAS LIKE, OKAY, COME OUT TO HIGHLAND VILLAGE, KHOU.
UH, BUT YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE.
WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE FOR ANOTHER YEAR, PART OF THE ANNUAL HEB THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE.
UH, WE'VE BEEN PART OF IT SINCE 2016 AND WE KEEP COMING BACK.
IT'S SUCH A GREAT DAY FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
IT BRINGS EVERYBODY TOGETHER AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO REPLICATE AT HOUSTON'S LANDMARK SHOPPING CENTER IN HIGHLAND VILLAGE.
IT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS, BRINGING FAMILIES TOGETHER FOR A GREAT SHOPPING.
AND THEN YOU CAN END IT ALL OFF, OF COURSE, WITH A VARIETY OF RESTAURANTS THAT YOU CAN GO TO.
SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME OUT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON TO HIGHLAND VILLAGE, GET YOUR SHOPPING DONE, MAKE A DAY OUT OF IT, AND OF COURSE, KICKING OFF THE HOLIDAYS WITH THE HEB THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE.
AND, UH, AS SHE MENTIONED, YOU WILL SEE THE LIGHTS, YOU WILL SEE THE BOWS.
WE STARTED WITH ONE BOW, NOW WE HAVE ABOUT SEVEN, UH, THROUGHOUT THE SHOPPING CENTER, 2000 POUNDS OF RED GLITTER ON THE BEAUTIFUL RED ORNAMENTS THAT YOU WILL SEE AS WELL.
SO I'LL JUST LET STOP TALKING ABOUT IT.
I'LL LET YOU COME BY AND SEE IT YOURSELF.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, WE ARE THRILLED TO BE PART OF A SEGMENT, JUST OF THE HUGE BEAUTIFUL HEB THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE THAT TAKES PLACE EVERY YEAR.
ALRIGHT, UP NEXT WE HAVE MS. ISHA VINKY.
SHE'S THE VICE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR SITCO, ONE OF OUR NEW PARTNERS THIS YEAR.
IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE HOLIDAY SEASON IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, AND THAT IS MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR.
AND SO WHAT BETTER WAY TO SUPPORT IT THAN SPONSORING ONE OF THE OLDEST THANKSGIVING DAY PARADES IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT HERE IN HOUSTON? YOU KNOW, IT'S A UNIQUE DISPLAY OF OUR CITY'S RICH, DIVERSE CULTURE, AND WE'RE SO HAPPY TO BE A PART OF IT THIS YEAR.
UM, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE BRAVE THE WEATHER.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GONNA BE, BUT, UH, IT DOESN'T KEEP PEOPLE HOME.
THEY COME OUT LINE THE STREETS, YOU KNOW, TO WATCH THE FLOATS AND THE MARCHING BANDS AND ALL THE OTHER FESTIVITIES AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT JOIN IN IT FROM HOME BECAUSE IT'S A TRADITION, IT'S A THANKSGIVING TRADITION, AND SITCO IS HAPPY TO BE A PART OF THAT TRADITION THIS YEAR.
UM, AS MAYOR TURNER SAID, WE'VE WORKED WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ON A NUMBER OF OTHER PROJECTS AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED AND HAPPY TO BE BACK AND WORKING WITH THE, THE TEAM AND THE OTHER SPONSORS TO REALLY GET THIS PARADE KICKED OFF AND, AND GOING AGAIN THIS YEAR.
SO IT'S GREAT TO KIND OF JUMPSTART THE HOLIDAYS WITH THIS.
UM, IT SHOWS OUR CONTINUED SUPPORT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE IN, AND SO WE ARE HAPPY AND HONORED TO BE A PART OF IT THIS, THIS YEAR.
SO ON BEHALF OF SITCO, WE'RE READY AND EXCITED TO WORK WITH THE CITY, HEB, THE RODEO, THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO AND HIGHLAND VILLAGE
[00:15:01]
TO MAKE THIS THE BEST PARADE EVER.ALRIGHT, SO YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW ELLE NEVER TOLD YOU.
HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL HE TELL YOU? NO, VERY FEW.
YEAH, YOU DON'T EVEN HEAR WHAT HE SAYS.
HEY, MAYOR, UH, DEBORAH, I WAS WONDERING IF OKAY, YES, YES, MAYOR, THERE'S ANOTHER PERSON WE DO THAT WITH AS WELL.
HI DEBORAH, HOW ARE YOU? LISTEN, I NEED YOU GOT IT, SUSAN.
I, YOU, I SEE HER FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
AND, AND LEMME TELL YOU, SHE'S NOT ONLY IN THE OFFICE PLANNING ALL YEAR LONG, SHE'S ON THE STREETS, FRONT LINES, MAKING SURE FLOATS GET OUT, FLOATS TURN THE CORNER, EVERYTHING HAPPENS ON THE, ALONG THAT ROUTE.
UH, PLEASE WELCOME TO THE PODIUM, MS. SUSAN CHRISTIAN, DIRECTOR OF PARADE, PRODUCER OF MAYOR'S OFFICE OF SPECIAL EVENT.
AND, UH, I AM SO THRILLED FOR ALL OF THESE SPONSORS.
UH, HEB, UH, HIGHLAND VILLAGE, UH, SITKO, OUR NEW SPONSOR.
AND OF COURSE, UH, WE CALL 'EM OFTEN OUR, UH, PARTNERS IN ENTERTAINMENT.
AND THAT IS THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO.
UH, ALL, UH, YOU KNOW, GREAT EVENT FOR, FOR HOUSTON.
BUT LOOK, UM, JUST A, A FEW THINGS THAT I WANT TO SAY TO THE MAYOR, 'CAUSE I HAVEN'T TOLD HIM THIS YET.
UH, SO HE WON'T, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOTHING BAD
ALTHOUGH I DID TELL YOU THIS MORNING, WE NOW HAVE 19 FLOATS.
SO THAT IS FIVE MORE THAN WE'VE EVER HAD.
AND LET ME TELL YOU FOLKS, IT'S NOT JUST A A TRAILER PULLING, YOU KNOW, WITH A COUPLE OF BOWS ON IT.
THESE ARE ELABORATE, UH, CREATIONS.
AND SO I REALLY WANNA THANK MY TEAM AND THE ARTIST IN HOUSTON THAT WE WORK WITH ALSO, UH, OUR DESIGNER OUT OF NEW ORLEANS, UH, THAT OUR MASTER FLOAT DESIGNER.
AND LOOK, WE HAVE DONE, UH, OUR BEST SINCE PRODUCING THIS PARADE TO REALLY LIFT UP THE ENTERTAINMENT VALUE, UH, THAT HOUSTONIANS, UH, GET TO EXPERIENCE ON THIS GREAT, UH, TRADITIONAL, UH, TRADITION OF THE HEB THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE.
COME OUT AND BRING YOUR FAMILIES.
AND I KNOW THAT ALL OF, ALL OF THEM, ALL OF YOU, UH, WHO HAVE BEEN TO THIS PARADE CAN ATTEST TO THAT.
IN FACT, WE PLAN FOR ABOUT 250,000, UH, TO ATTEND THE EVENT.
WE HAVE RESTROOM FACILITIES ALONG THE ROUTE.
WE HAVE, UH, FOOD FOR IF ANYONE WANTS TO GET A, A, A BITE OF BREAKFAST BEFORE.
BUT LOOK, WHAT WE REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO IS GET OUTTA THE HOUSE AND LET THE COOKS, UH, COOK, UH, YOU KNOW, THE DINNER, THE THANKSGIVING DINNER OR THANKSGIVING LUNCH AND COME DOWN.
IF YOU'VE NOT MADE THIS TR YOUR TRADITION, DO SO BECAUSE IT IS CAPITAL FUN IT IS FUN.
AND WE'VE GOT THESE CORPORATE SPONSORS STANDING BEHIND ME THAT MAKE IT ALL POSSIBLE.
SO COME DOWN, START A NEW TRADITION.
UH, JUST SO YOU KNOW, ON TUESDAY, WE'LL START ADJUSTING THE STREETS AROUND CITY HALL JUST A BIT TO PREPARE FOR, UH, ALL OF OUR GUESTS AND OF COURSE, THIS INCREDIBLE PARADE.
UH, AND THEN ON WEDNESDAY, UH, WE'LL CLOSE A COUPLE OF, UH, PLACES HERE AND THERE.
MOSTLY, UH, RIGHT OUTSIDE AT MCKINNEY STREET.
AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, WE WILL START OUR REHEARSALS.
SO WE'LL HAVE SOME STREET CLOSINGS IN, THEN OPENINGS, AND THEN CLOSINGS AGAIN, BECAUSE WE REHEARSE ON WEDNESDAY AROUND NOON.
AND THEN WE OPEN THE STREETS UP AND LET EVERYBODY GO HOME, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE THEY WANNA GET OUTTA TOWN, START WORKING ON THAT TURKEY, AND THEN WE'LL CLOSE THE STREETS, UH, PERMANENTLY UNTIL AFTER THE PARADE, UH, ALONG THE PARADE ROUTE.
SO, UH, ON, ON, UH, WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
SO, UM, WE WANT YOU TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT.
UH, BUT ALSO THE EVENT IS AT NINE O'CLOCK.
SO BRING YOUR LAWN CHAIRS, BRING YOUR BLANKIES, AND GET YOUR FAMILY OUT HERE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO A GREAT EVENT.
I WANNA THANK THE SPONSORS AGAIN, MAYOR.
UH, NOT ONLY THOUGH DO WE HAVE, UH, 19 FLOATS NOW.
AND I SAID, I TOLD LEANNE, WHERE'S LEANNE? I'D SAID, STOP ADDING FLOATS.
A I DON'T, WE'RE ALL GONNA BE OUT THERE HANGING STUFF FROM THEM.
AND, AND, AND B, WE WON'T FINISH THIS PARADE IN TIME FOR THANKSGIVING DINNER.
BUT ANYWAY, 19 FLOATS, 18 BALLOONS ADDED AGAIN, A MARCHING BAND, ANOTHER MARCHING BAND.
I SAID, NO, THAT'S IT BECAUSE ALL, ALL OF 'EM ARE 200 OR OR MORE, RIGHT? SEVEN MARCHING BANDS, EIGHT PERFORMING GROUPS, AND HUNDREDS OF COSTUME CHARACTERS.
IT IS GOING TO BE A BLAST FOR YOUR LAST THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE AS MAYOR, BUT IT WON'T BE YOUR LAST ONE.
WE KNOW THAT WE ALSO, ALSO, OUR BANDS MAYOR, UH, OVER HALF OF THEM, UH, HAVE NEVER PARTICIPATED WITH US.
AND WE'RE REALLY THRILLED, REALLY THRILLED ABOUT THAT.
THANK YOU SIR, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
AND THANK Y'ALL FOR YOUR CORPORATE LEADERSHIP.
DEBORAH, TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU.
ALRIGHT, ISHA, I THINK YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT THE WEATHER THAT DAY.
[00:20:01]
SUNNYYOU MIGHT WANNA START WITH A JACKET IF YOU'RE IN THE SHADE, BUT OTHERWISE IT'S GONNA BE 68 AND AND SUNNY.
YOU KNOW, ALL JOKING ASIDE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE THANKFUL FOR, I KNOW I CAN SPEAK FOR A LOT OF US WHEN I SAY I AM SO THANKFUL FOR LIVING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AND THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR WHERE IF WE'VE GONE THROUGH A TOUGH YEAR, WE GATHER TOGETHER AND SAY WE WE GOT EACH OTHER THROUGH IT.
WE GO THROUGH A GOOD YEAR AND WE CELEBRATE EACH OTHER THROUGH IT.
NO MATTER WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CITY.
I THINK WE HAVE REPRESENTED ACROSS THE NATION WHAT IT'S LIKE TO TRULY BE NEIGHBORS, WHAT IT'S LIKE TO TRULY BE A CITY, AND THAT A LOT OF IT COMES UNDER GOOD LEADERSHIP.
SO MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOUR STANDUP COMEDY SHOWS.
UH, BUT WE HAVE TO END THINGS NOW, SO WE REALLY CAN'T STAY.