The Parade Company and Ford Motor Company unveiled a scenic new float, “Powering the Community,” at The Parade Company Studio, according to Ford's news release.

The outdoor reveal was attended by Mary Culler, President of Ford Motor Company Fund, Tony Michaels, President and CEO of The Parade Company, Ford team members, and the community. The new float designed and built by Parade Company artists will debut in America’s Thanksgiving Parade, according to Ford.

“Ford Motor Company is an amazing community partner from every aspect imaginable, and a remarkable supporter of The Parade Company and America’s Thanksgiving Parade presented by Gardner White,” said Michaels. “We worked with Ford on the design and our amazing artisans brought it to life to capture Ford’s powerful community impact and innovation – from Michigan Central to the F-150 Lightning. It is a thrill and honor to unveil this new float with Ford today.”

Designed and built by Parade Company artists, Ford’s “Powering the Community” float is over 100 feet long. The first section features an illuminated replica of the train station – the centerpiece of Michigan Central, the 30-acre hub nestled between Detroit’s Corktown and Southwest neighborhoods that Ford is helping reinvent alongside a Michigan Central team and partners like Google, the State of Michigan, and the City of Detroit.

“Building and supporting community here in our hometown has always been a top priority for Ford and we are proud to partner with The Parade Company on important Detroit traditions like America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” said Culler. “We are particularly excited to be debuting an all-new float this year. The float showcases Ford’s commitment to “Powering the Community” – not only with our exciting new products, of course, but in the many ways we are driving impact and investing in communities here in Detroit.” 

The middle section demonstrates how Ford, and its partners, plan to activate spaces for the community in and around Michigan Central.

The third section – and focal point of the float – showcases the important role Ford’s community centers play in providing access to food and other essential resources for local neighborhoods in Detroit, according to the company. With locations on the city’s East side and in Southwest Detroit, Ford Resource and Engagement Centers provide job training and placement services, tax and legal services, food distribution, youth programming, and more.  

The float’s community center is receiving power from a Ford F-150 Lightning that tips up to 24 feet off the ground and has boxes of food being distributed out of its frunk (front trunk). The moving lights along the float’s bridge represent the flow of electricity and the power source the F-150 Lightning can provide. The people carrying boxes throughout the float represent the thousands of Ford employees that help distribute food and volunteer in communities in the city and across Metro Detroit each year.