The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has been an American tradition for almost a century, featuring giant balloons, floats, and musical performances. The first parade was held in 1924 and ended with Santa Claus, becoming an instant success. The parade has grown in size and grandeur, featuring Walt Disney characters in 1934 and being televised since the 1950s. Visitors can watch the balloons being inflated the day before Thanksgiving. Mishaps have occurred with the giant balloons, but the parade remains a beloved tradition for Americans.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® has been an American tradition that has been around for nearly a century. Since its inception, the parade has become famous for its giant balloons, floats and musical performances. Estimates suggest that 2.5 million people visit the parade site on Thanksgiving morning each year, and television coverage of the famous parade draws 44 million viewers.
Hosted by employees of Macy’s department store in New York City, the first parade was held in 1924 to celebrate Thanksgiving. As has always been the tradition since then, the parade ended with the arrival of Santa Claus, ringing the next Christmas festivities. The event was an instant success, and soon expanded in size and grandeur. In 1927 Felix the Cat was featured, the first huge balloon to float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. In 1929 giant balloons were released near the end of the parade which floated for several days and had return address tags so that any finders could send them back to Macy’s in exchange for a prize.
During the 1930s, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® continued to grow. In 1934, Walt Disney characters made their first appearance with a giant Mickey Mouse balloon. Between 1942-1944 the parade was forced to close due to World War II. Shortages of rubber prevented the creation of new balloons, while old ones were donated to the war effort for their rubber components.
In 1945, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® returned again and has continued unabated ever since. Since the early 1950s, the parade has been televised and has become a tradition for many American families to watch. Since Thanksgiving is known for only having evening activities, watching the parade is a great way to get through the hours that separate you from turkey and cranberries.
In addition to the core activity of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, New Yorkers and tourists alike also have a tradition of visiting the parade grounds the day before Thanksgiving. Visitors can watch as the huge balloons are inflated and moved to their waiting areas in preparation for the event. If you’re visiting New York City around Thanksgiving and want to take part in this time-honored tradition, head to the Museum of Natural History the afternoon or evening before Thanksgiving and look for your favorite balloons scattered on both sides of the museum complex.
In addition to balloons, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® also features live musical performances. Not only do specially selected high school and college marching bands perform in the parade, but delegations of Broadway musicals perform popular songs at nearby venues. Usually, Broadway shows come from the hottest musicals in the city and feature the real stage cast. Famous traditional singers also perform on the parade route, often from floats.
Unsurprisingly, handling giant balloons has led to quite a few mishap over the years. In 1957, the Popeye balloon caused a continuous splash, when a sudden downpour filled his hat with water. The balloon spent much of the parade bumping from side to side, drenching already wet visitors with a deluge from its sailor cap. A 1997 Cat in the Hat balloon disaster left a parade-goer in a coma for a month and prompted new safety restrictions on the balloon.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® is an old tradition for Americans and it looks like it will stay with us for many more years to come. Eliminate the long wait for Thanksgiving dinner and it can be a big surprise for visitors to New York City. Between the balloons, detailed floats, and grand displays, everyone can find something to enjoy while watching this historic parade.
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