The time-honored annual tradition of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a panache of colossal and creative balloons, character and novelty floats, high school marching bands and celebrities. This gift from Macy's to New York City is considered the Thanksgiving/ Christmas/ New Year's season kickoff, inspiring shopping sprees, holiday parties and other festivities. But the 2016 pageantry is especially significant.it.stay.
The November 24, 2016 parade will mark the 90th anniversary of the procession. In a sense, the parade is reflective of American history itself. The first parade was in 1924, but three years in a row were cancelled, 1942 through 1944, due to World War II. During that period, Macy's donated all the balloons, and 650 pounds of scrap rubber, to the war effort. In 1963, floats were draped in black to acknowledge the country's mourning of John F. Kennedy's assassination one week earlier. The 1947 film, "Miracle on 34th Street," launched the Macy's Day Parade as a piece of American culture.
The first balloons were Felix the Cat, and the Dragon, Elephant and Toy Soldier. Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse was added in 1934. In 1939, comic book characters such as Superman entered the scene. Sesame Street's Big Bird debuted in 1986. Multi-character balloons were introduced in 1996 with the Rugrats. The largest balloons by helium volume were Hello Kitty and SpongeBob SquarePants, each measuring 16,200 cubic feet.
The star power has always been a major attraction, beginning with Benny Goodman and Harpo Marx in the 1930s. The 1950s brought in Jackie Gleason, Shirley Temple and Jimmy Durante. Sports icons such as Willie Mays joined in 1962. The infamous Diana Ross and Sammy Davis, Jr. became part of the celebration in the 1980s. Shania Twain was one of the pop and country stars who joined in the 1990s.
A little-known fact is that the original concept of the parade was to celebrate Christmas, reflecting a desire of immigrants, who made up most of Macy's employee population, to meld their homeland Christmas celebration with the classic American holiday of Thanksgiving. The climax of the show was the release of balloons into the air, which began in 1928 and ended in 1933 after too many accidents occurred when people chased the balloons in response to prizes offered for their capture.
The Macy's Day Parade starts at 9 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day at 77th Street and Central Park West, ending at Macy's Herald Square. There are 2.5 miles available for public viewing, which is prohibited at both the start and end points. If you can't make it in person, join the estimated 50 million viewers who watch the national television broadcasts from Herald Square. NBC will host a prime-time special with a look back on the Macy's parade history and evolution. But if you have the opportunity to see it live, set the alarm, pack some snacks and camp out between 59th and 75th Streets where the ambitious line up and claim their space beginning at 6 a.m. Or for a spectacular view, head over to Columbus Circle and Central Park South, and be camera-ready.
