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Chicago Gears Up For Bud Billiken Parade

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Tomorrow marks the unofficial beginning of the school year, with the Bud Billiken Parade. It is considered one of the largest back to school celebrations in the country. As CBS 2's Courtney Gousman reports, excitement is already building on Martin Luther King Drive.

King College Prep High School students dedicated the last four weeks of summer to getting ready for one day...tomorrow's Bud Billiken Parade.

Band member Dataesha Brown said, "I really like how we can make people smile and be like, 'yeah look at them'."

But they're just one of many acts during the highly anticipated parade.

And Bud Billiken organizers said they expect to see 900,000 to 1-million people.

Spectators will line King Drive from 39th to 55th Streets, and pack Washington Park.

"I think it symbolizes the importance of education, and also to recognize young people doing what they like to do," said Parade Chairman Eugene Scott.

It is all about floats, bands, barbecue and fun. The ladies of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority prepare to give away 500 book bags full of school supplies.

The parade kicks off at 10 in the morning.

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