It’s a nationwide tradition. The morning of Thanksgiving Day, millions of people tune in to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Starting the holiday doesn’t seem right without it.
Although originally known as the Macy’s Christmas Parade, the first parade was actually held on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 1924. It started life as a marketing ploy. An effort to boost holiday sales and highlight Macy’s new store. Store employees marched to Macy’s Herald Square, the flagship store on 34th Street, dressed in vibrant costumes. There were floats, professional bands, and live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo. At the end of that first parade, Santa Claus was welcomed into Herald Square and enthroned on the Macy’s balcony at the 34th Street store entrance, where he was then crowned “King of the Kiddies.” With an audience of over 250,000 people, the parade was such a success that Macy’s declared it would become an annual event, despite media reports only barely covering the first parade.
Balloons were introduced to the parade three years later, in 1927, with Felix the Cat having the honor of being the first parade balloon. However, with no way to deflate the balloons after the parade, they were released into the air where they popped as they ascended. The following year valves were put in the balloons that allowed the helium to escape slowly when they were released at the end of the parade. A return address was provided, and a reward was offered in hopes that the balloons would be returned. But not all balloons made it back. One landed in the East River while another drifted out to sea. In 1932 one stray balloon wrapped itself around an airplane’s wing sending it into a tailspin. After that, balloons were not released again.
Through the 1930s, the parade continued to grow, with crowds of over one million people lining the parade route in 1933. The annual festivities were broadcast on local radio stations in New York in 1934.
The parade had to be suspended from 1942 to 1944 because of World War II. Rubber and helium were needed for the war effort. But it returned to its glory in 1945 and became known nationwide shortly afterward, having been prominently featured in the 1947 film Miracle on 34th Street. The movie actually included footage of the 1946 festivities. Shortly afterward, in 1948, the event had its first broadcast on network television. And, ever since, it has warmed hearts throughout the country.
As the parade marches from Central Park West to 59th Street and then heads east to 6th Avenue (eventually ending in front of Macy’s at Herald Square), scores of balloons float between the skyscrapers, creating excitement.
All viewers – whether on the route itself or at home watching on television – have their favorite balloon. The one that each year they look forward to seeing. For some, it may be Snoopy, who has the most balloons in parade history. For others, a new balloon such as Stuart the Minion may float supreme. To be fair, all the balloons are impressive. Their dimensions vary, but most are about five to six stories high and somewhere around 60 feet long and 30 feet wide. Each balloon needs around 90 handlers.
Although cooking Thanksgiving dinner is an effort, being a balloon handler in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is quite a task too…
If you decide to travel to New York to view the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, you won’t regret it.
Places to Stay
Mandarin Oriental
80 Columbus Cir, New York
Baccarat Hotel
28 W 53rd St, New York
The Ritz-Carlton Central Park
50 Central Park S, New York
Places to Eat
Chambers – Modern
94 Chambers St., New York
Atera – Modern
77 Worth St., New York
Manhatta – Modern
28 Liberty St., New York
