A smile instantly washes over Ahmad Ezzeddine’s face when he talks about the Distinguished Clown Corps, a crowd favorite in America’s Thanksgiving Parade®.

Ezzeddine, associate vice president of Educational Outreach and International Programs, is marching for the seventh consecutive year as a member of the 2014 Clown Corps.

He and 200 fellow corporate and community leaders are trading in their crisp business attire for stripes and polka dots in bold colors, if just for a morning, to celebrate one of the oldest parades in the United States.

“It is a lot of fun,” he says. “It is amazing to see the smiles we bring to the faces of the people along the parade route.”

Ezzeddine’s costume is a sparkling combination of liquid silver and neon fabrics he personally selected, with the help of his wife and children. An oversized top hat and coordinating eyeglasses complement his custom-made ensemble. The son of a tailor, Ezzeddine says he may be a little pickier than most when choosing the fabric and throughout the fitting process. The silver fabric designates his rank as a participant of at least five years.  Prior to that, he wore a one-piece suit whose base color was white. He is looking forward to his 10-year anniversary, when he trades in the liquid silver fabric for liquid gold fabric.  A red velvet cape is bestowed on a clown after he or she has marched 15 years (blue velvet after 25 years).

Ezzeddine says the parade’s alley of clowns comprises an impressive group of corporate and community leaders who pay $1,000 each year to march, but their participation represents more than that. 

Parade organizers estimate there have been 2,000 Distinguished Clowns who have lent their support to the event, which marks its 88th year in the city. The Clown Corps will distribute more than 300,000 beads to fans attending the parade.

“The parade is a Detroit tradition and we are showing our support for a legacy,” he says. “It is good to be part of that legacy for the city.” 

Get in the zone at the 2014 America’s Thanksgiving Parade® 

Wayne State University's Office of Special Events has a special deal if you want to enjoy the parade from a prime location right on campus. 

Be a part of The Warrior Zone, which will be located between Warren Avenue and the Simon Building (4809 Woodward Avenue) home of University Press. The Warrior Zone will include a warming tent, hot beverages, donuts and bagels, and restroom facilities. The area will also include some bleacher seating and enough room to bring your friends and family and take part in one of Detroit's great traditions. 

The Warrior Zone opens at 7:30 a.m. with the parade kicking off at 9 a.m. Learn more at specialevents.wayne.edu/the-warrior-zone-2014.