The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Held every year on Thanksgiving morning, the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City has turned into a major national event in the United States.

Individuals from around the country flock to the city streets in the wee hours of the morning hoping to get a great curb-side seat for three hours of balloons, bands, and , for some, 5 seconds of fame on national television.

The History behind the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Back in the early 1920’s, many of the employees of Macy’s stores were European immigrants. These first-generation immigrants wanted to show how proud they were of their new homeland by throwing a festival similar to what they and their parents would have enjoyed in their home countries.

The first annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was held on Thanksgiving Day in 1924. The original parade included bands, live animals from the nearby zoo, colorful costumes, floats and – in a tradition that has never died – the last float carrying Santa Claus. More than 250,000 people came out to participate in and watch the parade, making it such a huge success that Macy’s promised to make it an annual event.

The parade evolved over the coming years. Soon the animals from Central Park Zoo were left in peace and were instead replaced with large inflatable versions created by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. In 1928, Macy’s began releasing balloons at the end of the parade, offering special gifts to anyone who found and returned them after they came back down to the ground.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade has gone on without fail every year except for the time period between 1942 and 1944 when the helium and rubber used for the parade became a scarce commodity needed for the war. The parade came back to the streets in 1945, bigger and better than ever before. The parade was regularly broadcast on the radio until, in 1948, it was shown on network television.

Preparing for the Parade

One of the most interesting parts of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade is the line of gigantic inflatable balloons that parades down the street. Preparing the balloons for the big day is no easy task and must be carefully done in time for the 9am start time. Balloons are usually inflated the day before the parade at sites surrounding the Museum of Natural History. A gigantic team of volunteers will work together with students from the Stevens Institute of Technology, where the balloons and floats are built, to get the job done.

Every year a new balloon or two is introduced to the parade. Some are brand new concepts while others are redesigned versions of previous balloons. In 2008, for example, Horton the Elephant, Buzz Lightyear, and Smurf were introduced. In 2009 you can expect to see a new Pillsbury Doughboy, a 4^th edition Mickey Mouse, a 3^rd edition Ronald McDonald, and a 2^nd edition Spider-Man balloon – amongst all of the others, of course!

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Entertainment

The balloons are not the only draw, of course. The Thanksgiving Day parade is littered with high school and college marching bands, many of which travel from locations around the country to participate in this special event. While most acts use prerecorded music while lip-syncing their performances, you can be guaranteed that every single marching band to stop in front of the Macy’s store on Broadway and 34^th will be offering an original, live performance.

That’s not to say that the opportunity to see other musical talents isn’t appreciated. In the past, performers like Miley Cyrus, David Archuleta, Inda Menzel, Dolly Parton, the Jonas Brothers, and many others have made appearances. It is rumored that Tiffany Thornton and Keke Palmer will be performing in the 2009 parade.

Other Thanksgiving Day Parades

While it is one of the largest Thanksgiving Day parades in the country, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade certainly isn’t the only parade taking place on Thanksgiving morning. The 6abc-Ikea parade (formerly known as the Gimbels parade and then the Boscov’s Thanksgiving parade), held in Philadelphia, is one of the oldest running parades in the country. There are also major parades in Chicago Illionois, Seattle, Washington, and in several large cities.

Watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Want to get a great seat for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade? Try to book a New York City hotel room along the parade route so that you can enjoy the floats from the comfort (and warmth of your own room). If that’s not an option you’ll want to hit the streets of New York City as early as possible to ensure you get a seat with great visibility. The closer you are to the Macy’s building the better your odds of seeing live performances (although you’ll also stand a greater chance of getting lots in the crowd). The parade starts at 9am EST.

Not ready to travel to New York City? Join the 44 million other Americans watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade from their living room couches this year. No matter where you are when you watch, this parade is bound to catapult the holiday season into full-swing, bringing warmth and joy into every household.