The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has been going on since 1924, when it debuted as the Macy's Christmas Day Parade. The first parade starred Macy's employees dressed up in fun costumes alongside animals from the Central Park Zoo.
The first Manhattan parade was considered a success with 250,000 spectators. Now, the annual event attracts around 3.5 million spectators in New York and 50 million television viewers!
In 1927 Macy's debuted their first giant inflatable balloon, Felix the Cat.
In 1929, helium balloons were brought into the parade. The balloons were released at the end of the parade and equipped with a return label so whoever was lucky enough to find the balloon could return it to Macy's for $50.
In 1934, Mickey debuted in the parade.
Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck starred in the parade together in 1972.
Donald Duck appeared again in 1984 to mark his 50th birthday.
Goofy made his first parade appearance in 1992.
In 2000, Bandleader Mickey lead the parade.
Most recently, Sailor Mickey joined the parade in 2009 and 2010 to announce new Disney Cruise ships.
This balloon, modeling Eddie Cantor, has been the only balloon created to resemble the likeness of a live person. The resemblance is up for debate.
Due to helium and rubber shortages, between 1942-44, the parade stopped in order to donate their balloons to the government, providing 650 pounds of scrap rubber for World War II.
In 1946 the parade made its first debut on television, locally, and nationally the following year.
In the 1956 parade, Mighty Mouse collapsed due to 45 mph winds that day.
Wind caused the same problem in 1997, deflating many balloons like the Pink Panther and the Cat in the Hat, which hit a street lap and severely injured a spectator.
In the 1987 parade, Popeye's hat filled with gallons of water which accidentally fell onto shocked spectators.
Olive Oyl also made an appearance as the first female character balloon in the parade.
Snoopy is the parade character with the most balloons in history -- probably because the lovable Beagle has appeared in 33 parades!
The First Flying Ace in 1956.
Astronaut Snoopy in 1969.
Ice Skating Snoopy Solo in 1986.
Ice Skating Snoopy Plus Woodstock in 1988.
Millennium Snoopy in 1999.
New Flying Ace Snoopy in 2006.
Classic Snoopy and Woodstock on Head debuted in 2013 and remains in the parade!
Macy's reintroduced the Harold the Fireman balloon from 1948 after 9/11 to honor those who helped in the attacks.
Even Superman continued to evolve as the parade did!
Superman, 1940.
Superman, 1966.
Superman, 1987.
Crowd Favorites
Bullwinkle, 1963.
Linus the Lion, 1973.
Betty Boop, 1995.
1995: Woody the Woodpecker
1997: Rugrats
Arthur, 1997.
Kermit (second version), 2002.
Charlie Brown, 2002
SpongeBob (first version), 2004.
Shrek, 2007
Spiderman, 2012
Buzz Lightyear, 2012
And, in 2013, Toothless.
