If you are anything like me, the first thing you do on Thanksgiving morning is turn on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This parade is as much of an American tradition as turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. This parade is New York City’s official kick-off to the holiday season. Every year, more than 3.5 million people line the streets of New York and over 50 million tune into NBC to watch the giant balloons, outstanding floats, best marching bands and enjoy the holiday festivities.
The first parade took place on Thanksgiving morning of 1924 with the original name of Macy’s Christmas Parade. While the Roaring Twenties was a prosperous time for the United States, the iconic department store, Macy’s expanded its business to cover an entire city block; stretching from Broadway to Seventh Ave along 34th street.
To showcase their “World’s Largest Store” Macy’s threw New York the Parade, capitalizing on the next major holiday – Christmas. Macy’s employees dressed as clowns, cowboys, and knights. The Central Park Zoo loaned animals, including bears, elephants, camels, and monkeys, to add to the exciting parade. Santa Claus, sitting in a reindeer-driven sleigh atop a mountain, brought up the rear of the parade.
Here are some fun facts about the famous parade:
- In 1927 the first famous giant helium balloons were introduced with Felix the Cat and Toy Soldier making the debut.
- From 1929 until 1931, the balloons were released at the end of the parade and you were rewarded a $50 gift certificate to Macy’s if you found it and returned it.
- Santa Claus has ended the parade every year except 1933, the only year he led the parade.
- Mickey Mouse made his debut in 1934 when Macy’s designers collaborated with Walt Disney.
- The parade was cancelled in 1942-1944 due to World War II.
- In 1958 there was a helium shortage that almost grounded the parades balloons
- Macy’s is the world’s second largest consumer of helium. The United States government is first.
- To date, there have been 171 giant character balloons in the parade since 1927. This year, Macy’s will feature 17 giant balloons; 27 floats, 12 marching band members; 1,100 cheerleaders and dancers and more than 1,000 clowns.
Macy’s Christmas Parade quickly became a New York holiday tradition and a joy to all (except the zoo animals who did not love the six-mile journey.) While the route has been scaled back to only 2 and a half miles, the size of the parade sure has not. Dozens of giant balloons, marching bands, celebrities, and cheerleaders walk in the parade. Although it is now called the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Santa is still the main event.
This year you can expect to see pop band Fitz and the Tantrums, Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez, the furry gang from the Muppets, singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan and much more. While that turkey is roasting in the oven, be sure to turn on the spectacular parade and enjoy this year's 90th show!
