Lakeview East has a lot of traditions, but few are as wonderfully quirky, or as deeply beloved, as the WOOGMS Parade. That mouthful stands for the Wellington-Oakdale Old Glory Marching Society, a do-it-yourself neighborhood parade where strollers, scooters, wagons, and even dogs in bandanas take center stage.

Since 1963, the motto has been simple: “Everybody marches, nobody watches.” And true to its word, this is no spectator sport, you’re expected to join the crowd and march along with your neighbors. On Monday, September 1st at 11 a.m., the tradition continues, stepping off from Wellington & Pine Grove with music, tumblers, and that unmistakable “small town in the city” vibe that only WOOGMS can bring.

How It All Began:

Back in 1963, Oakdale Avenue resident Al Weisman, a World War II veteran and creative force in Chicago PR, was handed a five-foot flagpole by a neighbor. Instead of propping it on the porch, Al rallied a few kids, grabbed the flag, and started marching. Only a handful of children joined him that first day, with one girl strumming on her violin, but it was enough to spark something bigger.

Al was a man who dedicated Picasso’s Daley Plaza sculpture, launched WTTW Channel 11, put the brand of McDonalds on the map, and taught journalism at Columbia College. Yet somehow, one of his greatest legacies is this quirky “do-it-yourself” parade that still winds through Lakeview every Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Al passed away in 1974, but his parade has lived on. His son Tony carried the torch for a while, and when he moved away, a dedicated group of neighbors stepped in. Over the years, WOOGMS has become less of a parade in the traditional sense and more of a joyful neighborhood walk, where scooters, strollers, wagons, pets, and even crazy hats are all welcome.

It’s also a true multigenerational event. Neighbors have marched for years, watching their kids grow up alongside the parade. Families who moved away often return just for the chance to join in to keep the tradition alive

WOOGMS Today

WOOGMS isn’t polished, and that’s the magic. Kids decorate their bikes with crepe paper, dogs trot along in bandanas, and parents push strollers decked out in red, white, and blue. Some folks wear oversized hats, others sport the classic WOOGMS T-shirts, and nobody’s too old to march. It’s the one parade where neighbors return year after year, even after moving away. Because once you’ve marched WOOGMS, you’re part of the family.

Of course, WOOGMS isn’t all DIY. The legendary Jesse White Drum Corps and Tumblers bring the thunder, leading the parade with heart-pounding energy and closing it with jaw-dropping flips. Local leaders like Rep. Mike Quigley, Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, and Ald. Bennett Lawson are often spotted in the mix, though here, they march right alongside families and pets.

There are no barricades, no bands on floats, no sidelines lined with strangers. Just neighbors moving together, some in costume, some with flags, some with kids still learning how to pedal on two wheels.

So this Labor Day jump in. Bring your scooter, stroller, wagon, or pup, and add a little flair of your own. Maybe it’s a crazy hat. Maybe it’s a drum you bang on. Maybe it’s just you, walking beside your neighbors. That’s the beauty of WOOGMS, if you’re there, you’re in the parade.