Kicking off the countdown for the 6abc Dunkin' Thanksgiving Day Parade

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- It was a celebration on City Avenue as we began the countdown for the 6abc Dunkin' Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The Kingsway Regional High School Marching Band came to the 6abc Yard on Thursday morning for the big event.

It's the 105th year of the parade, the oldest Thanksgiving celebration in the country.

"We're all family and we like sharing that with everybody at home. So year after year it's all coming together, not only with all the parade goers out there, all the viewers at home, but all of our family here," said 6abc Action News meteorologist Karen Rogers, one of the longtime hosts of the parade.

There will be marching bands, new floats, balloons, dancing, and plenty of fun on the Ben Franklin Parkway this year.

"If you want to kick off the holiday season with a real thankful spirit in the air, that's what the Thanksgiving day parade does every year," said 6abc programming director John Morris.

This year will have some special guests including Sugar Hill Gang, Kathy Sledge, and Darlene Love.

The big event is just over a month away!

"I'm looking forward to bringing the community together again for the 105th time. This is a massive effort that brings bands from the tri-state area, brings our viewers, city and just everybody together," said 6abc President and General Manager Bernie Prazenica.

"We're really looking forward to getting out there, interacting with our guests on the Parkway, and really just celebrating the kickoff to the holiday season and share some hot chocolate, some hot coffee, and share some goodies with everybody," said Jamie Struwe, senior field marketing manager for Dunkin'.

There will be plenty to enjoy for viewers at home and those who go the parkway and, of course, performers are excited too to help bring the city of Philadelphia together on Thanksgiving Day.

"It's a very big time commitment but it's all worth it for the family aspect," said Sophia Counsellor, a senior on the Kingsway Regional High School Marching Band. "We're all having a great time and it really brings us together to do these sorts of things."

Over the next few weeks we'll be posting more details about the fun we have planned for Thanksgiving at 6abc.com/Parade.