Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
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- "Macy's Day Parade" redirects here. For the Green Day song, see Macy's Day Parade (song).
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (also "Macy's Day Parade" in informal contexts, and originally the "Macy's Christmas Parade" ) is an annual parade presented by Macy's Department Store. The three-hour event is held in New York City starting at 9:00 a.m. EST on Thanksgiving Day.
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[edit] History
In the 1920s many of Macy's department store employees were second-generation immigrants. Proud of their new American heritage, they wanted to celebrate the American holiday of Thanksgiving with the type of festival they loved in Europe.
In 1924, the employees marched to Macy's 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, as has been the case with every Parade since, Santa Claus was welcomed into Herald Square. At this first Parade, however, the Jolly Old Elf was 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 a quarter of a million people, the Parade was such a success that Macy's declared it would become an annual event.
Large animal-shaped balloons replaced the live animals in 1927 when the Felix the Cat balloon debuted. Felix was filled with air, but by the next year, helium was used to fill the expanding cast of balloons.
Through the 1930s, the Parade grew and grew until crowds of over 1 million lined the Parade route in 1933. The first Mickey Mouse balloon entered the Parade in 1934. The Parade ceremonies were broadcast on local New York radio.
The Parade was suspended from 1942-1944 because of World War II. The rubber and helium were needed for the war effort. The Parade resumed in 1945 using the route that it still runs today. The parade gained serious fame after being prominently featured in the 1947 film, Miracle on 34th Street.
At the conclusion of some of the early parades, the balloons were released and floated away, often taking several days to come down. A reward of a $100 Macy's gift certificate was offered for anyone who found and returned any of the lost balloons.
The 2006 parade (the 80th), included two new big balloons: Flying Ace Snoopy and Pikachu (remodeled with a Poké Ball), along with new falloons and ballonicles: the Energizer Bunny and a Macy's balloon styled for the 80th anniversary of the parade.
Other cities in the US also have parades on Thanksgiving, but they are not run by Macy's. The nation's oldest Thanksgiving parade was first held in Philadelphia in 1920. Other cities include: Plymouth, Massachusetts, Seattle, Washington, Houston, Texas, Detroit, Michigan, and Fountain Hills, Arizona.
New safety measures were incorporated in 2006 to prevent accidents and balloon related injuries. One measure taken was installation of wind measurement devices to alert parade organizers to any unsafe conditions that could cause the balloons to behave erratically. Also, the measure of keeping the balloons closer to the ground during windy conditions.
[edit] Balloons
[edit] Balloon inflation
The balloons for the parade are inflated the day before (Wednesday) on both sides of the Museum of Natural History in New York City. The balloons are split between 77th and 81st Streets between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue. The inflation team consists of various volunteers from Macy's as well as students from Stevens Institute of Technology, a local university in Hoboken, NJ where the balloons and floats are designed and built. The inflation is open to the public the afternoon and night before the parade.
[edit] Balloon trivia
- The largest balloon to be in the parade was Superman.
- The Eddie Cantor balloon is the only one to be modeled after a living person.
[edit] Balloon introductions
- 2006: Pikachu with Poké Ball (the second version of the Pikachu balloon); Flying Ace Snoopy (new version)
- 1968: Snoopy
- 1961: Bullwinkle
- 1934: Mickey Mouse
- 1927: Felix the Cat
[edit] Balloonicle and Falloon introductions
A falloon ("F") is a float-based balloon. A balloonicle ("B") is a self-powered balloon vehicle.
- 2006: Energizer Bunny (B)
- 2004: Weebles (B) - (3) Tibby, Tooey, Bumpus
[edit] Performers and acts
In addition to the well-known balloons and floats, the parade also features live music and other performances. High school marching bands from across the country participate in the parade, and the television broadcasts feature performances by famous singers and bands, albeit lip-synced for practical considerations.
[edit] Television coverage
More than 44 million people watch the parade on television each year. NBC has been the official broadcaster of the event since 1955. For many years now the parade, which began its television appearances on CBS in 1952, has been hosted mostly by members of The Today Show. However, from 1962 to 1971 it was hosted by Lorne Greene (who was then appearing in NBC's Bonanza), and Betty White. Since 2003, parade coverage has been simulcast in Spanish on NBC-owned Telemundo. Parade coverage has won nine Emmy Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Special Event Coverage since 1979.
As the Macy's parade, like most parades, occurs on public streets, NBC's coverage is not exclusive. CBS also provides television coverage, not sanctioned by Macy's.
[edit] Parade route
The Parade originally began on 145th Street in Harlem and ended at Herald Square, a 6 1/2 mile route.
The Parade adopted its current route in 1945 when NBC began televising the parade. Beginning at the intersection of 77th Street and Central Park West, the route heads south along Central Park. At Columbus Circle, the route turns onto Broadway, passes through Times Square, and continues southward to Macy's, turning west onto 34th Street, and continuing to 7th Avenue, where the floats are taken down. It is not advised to view the parade from Columbus Circle, as due to higher winds in this flat area, balloon teams race through it.
The shortened Parade route offered at least one convenience: it eliminated the need for the large balloons to be carried under the elevated subway lines. Today, New York City officials preview the parade route and try to eliminate as many potential obstacles as possible, even going as far as rotating overhead traffic signals out of the way.
[edit] Incidents and injuries
- In 1997, high winds pushed the Cat in the Hat balloon into a lamppost. The falling debris struck parade-goer Kathleen Caronna, fracturing her skull and leaving her in a coma for a month.
- In 2005, the M&M's chocolate candies balloon caught on a streetlight in Times Square. Two sisters were struck by falling debris, suffering minor injuries. As a result, new safety rules were introduced.<ref>"New safety rules for NYC Thanksgiving parade after balloon crash", Associated Press. Retrieved on 2006-10-18.</ref> Those rules came in handy for the 2006 parade, as balloons were lowered because of rain and high winds to the delight of everyone.
[edit] References
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[edit] See also
[edit] Further Reading
- Grippo, Robert M., Christopher Hoskins, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Arcadia Publishing 2004
[edit] External links
- MacysParade.com - official site
- 2006 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Image Gallery
- Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade History". The Official Website for New York City Tourism. Retrieved Sep. 22, 2004.
