BRONZEVILLE — Controversy surrounded the Bud Billiken Parade this year, but loyal attendees said they showed up to support the kids during the historic back-to-school event.
There was a noticeable drop in attendance this year at the parade. The area near King Drive Boulevard, usually packed with families, was significantly empty Saturday.
It was a difference everyone noticed, including Lerene Holloway and her husband, who have been selling Chicago-style hot dogs from their cart at 46th and King Drive during the parade the last 20 years.
"I definitely see less people out," said Holloway. "I think that they're trying to phase out the parade in a way, but that's never going to happen, it's going to be here forever."
Arthur Jones, who has attended the last four years, was less than impressed with this year's event. Jones and his brother usually get many customers at their tent for ribs and soda, but this year he's afraid he'll have to eat the cost.
"It's terrible this year," said Jones, who lives in Nevada but comes out every summer to join his family for the parade. "They've shortened it, taken it away from the kids, started it an hour early. No one wants to get up an hour early to get here. I think they're phasing it out because it's too big and too great."
It was people like Barbara Allen, a local resident who has attended for 20 years, who kept the energy of the parade high.
As dance groups and marching bands passed, Allen yelled out words of encouragement, waving a bright red candy-shaped inflatable over her head in celebration.
"It used to be that everyone would come out and encourage these young people, but people have closed down because of the times," Allen said. "We've seen our spirits decline in the black community but it's not going to stop me from coming out here and yelling for these kids."
Bronzeville resident Mary Buford is another faithful parade attendee who isn't sure she'll return next year.
"I come for the parade, but the drill team made it all worthwhile. They're the baddest boys in the United States," said Buford, who brought her 14 year-old grandson to experience the parade.
Buford attributed this year's drop in attendance to poor organization and the organizers' focus on politicians.
"They could've taken out a lot of these political people and gave the spots back to the kids," Buford said. "We only see them when it's time to vote."
"I don't feel like they're trying to phase it out but they're coming up with all kinds of excuses to keep these babies from being in the parade," Buford added.
The Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC), also believes the low turnout was due to certain organizations excluding the youth. "Usually this park is filled from one end to the other," said Jeff Baker. "But this year there are a lot of people missing."
According to Baker, the parade organizers' decision to bar CPAC from participating this year, the first time in 40 year, was a political one.
Despite the conflict, CPAC still came out and set up shop along the parade route in Washington Park to offer counter-programming.
"We were kicked out of the parade a week and a half ago," said Baker, as he fielded questions from parade-goers at CPAC's table. "It's all political, I'm sure. The organizers had to take a political position that's on the side of status quo, and that pits them against the people they're supposed to be having this parade for."
Camiel Brookins thinks increased violence in the community contributed to the parade's attendance drop.
"People were a little afraid to come out this year, but it's still a good thing for us to have," she said. "The kids look forward to it and call us up to remind us that we have to go."
Pamela Brooks is an expert on the parade - she's attended for the past 60 years.
"It's changed but I never miss it, no matter what," Brooks said.
Along the parade route, marching bands played brass renditions of pop songs, dance troupes blasted hip-hop music, and local vendors used megaphones to advertise everything from ribs off the grill to sunglasses and hats.
Some families wore matching shirts in support of loved ones lost to violence or set up large camping tents to stay out of the sun as they shared picnic-style food.
Earlier this month, local activist Ja'Mal Green called for a boycott of the parade after new rules were announced and the South Shore Drill Team pulled out of the festivities.
The parade is the nation's largest and longest-running African-American parade. Following the 3-hour parade, a picnic was held in Washington Park.
This year's grand marshal was Katherine Branch, director of special projects in the Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs at the White House.
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