Detroit Webcam, Michigan Thanksgiving Parade 2010 Live Feed

America's Thanksgiving Parade, is an annual parade held on Thanksgiving Day in downtown Detroit, Michigan. The tradition started in the city in 1924 by the J.L. Hudson Company department store.

This live feed is in Detroit for the 2010 Thanksgiving Parade:

Detroit Michigan Thanksgiving Parade Live

It shares the title for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, and is four years younger than the 6abc IKEA Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia.

Event Information:

The idea came from Hudson’s display director Charles Wendel after the success of the Eaton's Santa Claus Parade in Toronto. In addition to the usual floats and bands, Wendel obtained large papier-mâché heads similar to those he saw during a recent trip to Europe. The heads are made in Viareggio, Italy and remain a fixture of the parade to the present.

The parade was suspended in 1943 and 1944 due to material shortages caused by World War II, but Hudson’s resumed the event in 1945 and continued sponsorship of the parade until 1979 when the costs became burdensome. It turned the parade over to the Detroit Renaissance Foundation who produced it for four years. In 1983, Detroit Renaissance turned the parade over to the newly-created Michigan Thanksgiving Parade Foundation and the event became known as The Michigan Thanksgiving Parade.

State Street Chicago Webcam - Thanksgiving Parade Live

The State Street Thanksgiving Parade, currently title sponsored by McDonald's and officially named the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade (see below), an annual parade produced and presented by the Chicago Festival Association (CFA) and is often known as “Chicago’s Grand Holiday Tradition.”

This live feed is in Chicago for the 2010 Thanksgiving Parade:

Chicago Thanksgiving Parade Live

Event Information:

In 1934, the United States had been in the Great Depression for five years. Many leaders in Chicago searched for ways to boost the economy as well as public spirit. Walter Gregory, President of Chicago's State Street Council, proposed a Christmas parade to Chicago Mayor Edward Kelly in the hopes that it would improve the moods of Chicago residents. The Mayor agreed to the parade, being primarily interested in its potential to improve Chicago's economy.

Chicago's first Christmas Parade was on State Street on December 7, 1934. Gregory and a costumed Santa Claus led the caravan, which was filled with toys and various merchandise from State Street businesses. As the city's government officials had hoped, the parade contributed to desirable growth in the local economy and 1934 held the city's largest holiday buying period since 1927. This was both exciting and surprising for the entire city. Not only was it the Depression, but that day held dangerously low temperatures throughout the entire state. Some areas of Illinois were as low as fourteen degrees below zero (fahrenheit).

New York Thanksgiving Parade 2010 Live Web Cam Feed

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual parade presented by Macy's. The tradition started in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States.

This live feed is in New York City for the 2010 Thanksgiving Parade:

New York Thanksgiving Parade Live

Event Information:

In 1924, the inaugural parade (originally known as the Macy's Christmas Parade and later the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Christmas Parade.) was staged by the store. Employees and professional entertainers marched from 145th Street in Harlem to Macy's flagship store on 34th Street dressed in vibrant costumes. There were floats, professional bands and live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo. At the end of that first parade, as has been the case with every parade since, Santa Claus was welcomed into Herald Square. At this first parade, however, the Jolly Old Elf was enthroned on the Macy's balcony at the 34th Street store entrance, where he was then "crowned" "King of the Kiddies." With an audience of over a quarter of a million people, the parade was such a success that Macy's declared it would become an annual event.

In addition to the well-known balloons and floats, the Parade also features live music and other performances. College and high school marching bands from across the country participate in the parade, and the television broadcasts feature performances by famous singers and bands. The Radio City Rockettes are a classic performance as well.

On the NBC telecast from in front of the flagship Macy's store on Broadway and 34th Street, the marching bands perform live music but most of the other live acts use pre-recorded music with the performers lip-syncing their singing.

New York Webcam - Columbus Day Parade 2010

The New York City Columbus Day Parade is the biggest in the country, and begins on Fifth Avenue at 47th Street, and continues north along Fifth Avenue to 79th Street.

This live webcam feed is in New York for this year's parade:

Columbus Day New York live

Event Information:

Many countries in the New World and elsewhere celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas, specifically the Bahamas, which occurred on October 12, 1492 in the Julian calendar and October 21, 1492 in the modern Gregorian calendar, as an official holiday. The day is celebrated as Columbus Day in the United States, as Día de la Raza in many countries in the Americas, as Día de las Culturas (Day of the Cultures) in Costa Rica, as Discovery Day in the Bahamas, as Día de la Hispanidad and Fiesta Nacional in Spain and as Día de las Américas (Day of the Americas) in Uruguay. These holidays have been celebrated unofficially since the late 18th century, and officially in various countries since the early 20th century.

Hong Kong Webcam - China National day Fireworks

China National Day is a public holiday in the People's Republic of China to celebrate its national day, and is is marked by spectacular firework displays around the country.

Nowhere more so than on Hong Kong island, where this live webcam feed will capture the day's events as well as the evening fireworks display:

China National Day Live

Event Information:

The PRC was founded on October 1, 1949 with a ceremony at Tiananmen Square. The Central People's Government passed the Resolution on the National Day of the People's Republic of China on December 2, 1949 and declared that October 1 is the National Day.

The National Day marks the start of one of the two Golden Weeks in the PRC. However, there have been some recent controversies over whether Golden Weeks should be kept.

The National Day is celebrated throughout mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau with a variety of government-organised festivities, including fireworks and concerts. Public places, such as Tiananmen Square in Beijing, are decorated in a festive theme. Portraits of revered leaders, such as Sun Yat-sen, are publicly displayed

Capitol Hill Webcam - Labor Day Concert 2010 Live

This annual US Labour Day concert is led by NSO Associate Conductor Emil de Cou and the event is part of the Kennedy Center's Prelude Festival, which includes free performances to kickoff the performing arts season in Washington, DC.

This live feed is on Capitol Hill during the concert:

Capitol Hill web cam

Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September (September 6 in 2010)

Traditionally, Labor Day is celebrated by most Americans as the symbolic end of the summer. The holiday is often regarded as a day of rest and parties. Speeches or political demonstrations are more low-key than May 1 Labor Day celebrations in most countries, although events held by labor organizations often feature political themes and appearances by candidates for office, especially in election years. Forms of celebration include picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays, water sports, and public art events. Families with school-age children take it as the last chance to travel before the end of summer recess. Similarly, some teenagers and young adults view it as the last weekend for parties before returning to school, although school starting times now vary.

In U.S. sports, Labor Day marks the beginning of the NFL and college football seasons. NCAA teams usually play their first games the week before Labor Day, with the NFL traditionally playing their first game the Thursday following Labor Day. The Southern 500 NASCAR auto race was held that day from 1950 to 2004.

Sydney Harbour Webcam on Flag Day Australia 2010

A major public holiday, Australian National Flag Day, proclaimed in 1996 as a national day, celebrates the first time the flag of Australia was flown on 3 September 1901. All Australians are encouraged to fly or display the Australian flag on this day.

This web cam feed is live on Sydney on Flag Day 2010 so you can see for yourself how many flags are on display!

Sydney Harbour web cam

Location Information:

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district (CBD) and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic image of both Sydney and Australia. The bridge is locally nicknamed "The Coat Hanger" because of its arch-based design.

The bridge was designed and built by Dorman Long and Co Ltd, Middlesbrough Teesside and Cleveland Bridge, Darlington, County Durham and opened in 1932. Until 1967 it was the city's tallest structure.[citation needed] According to Guinness World Records, it is the world's widest long-span bridge and it is the tallest steel arch bridge, measuring 134 metres (440 ft) from top to water level.[citation needed] It is also the fifth-longest spanning-arch bridge in the world.

Warsaw Webcam Live in Poland on Freedom Day 2010

The day of Solidarity and Freedom is a public holiday in Poland to commemorate the the anniversary of the August Agreement from 1980. The Gdańsk Agreement was an accord reached as a direct result of the strikes that took place in Gdańsk, Poland. Workers along the Baltic coast joined the revolution in Solidarity during the month of August, 1980.

This live webcam is in Warsaw on Freedom Day:

Warsaw webcam

Location Information:

Warsaw (Polish: Warszawa ) is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River roughly 360 kilometers (224 mi) from the Baltic Sea and 300 kilometers (186 mi) from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population as of June 2009 was estimated at 1,711,466, and the Warsaw metropolitan area at approximately 2,785,000. The city area is 516.9 square kilometers (199.6 sq mi), with an agglomeration of 6,100.43 square kilometers (2,355.4 sq mi) (Warsaw Metro Area - Obszar Metropolitalny Warszawy). Warsaw is the 9th largest city in the European Union by population. Warsaw is one of the Alpha Cities.

Warszawianka (1831) (French: La Varsovienne) is widely considered the unofficial anthem of Warsaw. On 9 November 1940 the City of Warsaw was awarded the highest military decoration for courage in the face of the enemy - Order Virtuti Militari for the heroic defence in 1939.

Istanbul Webcam Live for Victory Day in Turkey 2010

The Battle of Dumlupınar was the last battle in the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922). The battle was fought from 26 August to 30 August 1922 near Kütahya in Turkey. The anniversary is marked every year with a national holiday and celebrations.

This webcam is live in Istanbul for the Victory Day festivities:

Istanbul webcam

Location Information:

The Bosphorus Bridge, also called the First Bosphorus Bridge is one of the two bridges in Istanbul, Turkey, spanning the Bosphorus strait and thus connecting Europe and Asia (the other one is the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, which is called the Second Bosphorus Bridge.) The bridge is located between Ortaköy (on the European side) and Beylerbeyi (on the Asian side). It is a gravity anchored suspension bridge with steel pylons and inclined hangers. The aerodynamic deck is hanging on zigzag steel cables. It is 1,510 m (4,954 ft) long with a deck width of 39 m (128 ft). The distance between the towers (main span) is 1,074 m (3,524 ft) and their height over road level is 105 m (344 ft). The clearance of the bridge from sea level is 64 m (210 ft). The Bosphorus Bridge had the 4th longest suspension bridge span in the world when it was completed in 1973, and the longest outside the United States. At present, it is the 16th longest suspension bridge span in the world.