Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade:
The Holidays are Here
Kelli Laughlin, Staff Reporter
klaughlin@csumb.edu
A drum roll could be heard from three blocks away. Anticipation rose along the streets of New York City through the sea of three million eager spectators. The start of the holidays was just around the corner. The first glimpse of the gold and crimson marching band rounding the bend sent a roar of applause and joyful cheers throughout the mass of delighted onlookers. Behind the band appeared the colossal face of a familiar dog: Snoopy. Dressed as the flying ace, the cartoon character floated above the swarm of spectators, bringing smiles to the faces of the young and old.
The tradition of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade first started in 1924. A group of Macy’s department store employees, who were immigrants from Europe and lived in New York City, wanted to celebrate the American tradition of Thanksgiving. They decided to put on a festival similar to the celebrations in Europe.
Many of the Macy’s employees dressed in colorful costumes and marched from 145th street in Harlem to the Macy’s store where they were employed on 34th street, which later inspired the classic holiday movie, “Miracle on 34th Street. They borrowed animals from the Central Park Zoo for the parade, created attention-grabbing floats, and enlisted the help of professional marching bands to entertain the crowds of spectators.
At the end of the parade, Santa Claus was welcomed into Herald Square, which has become an annual tradition of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
As the years passed, large-character balloons replaced live animals in the parade, and every year, new balloons are added to the spectacle. The first balloon, created in 1927, was of the cartoon character Felix the Cat. This year, the new character balloons were Sailor Mickey Mouse, the Pillsbury Doughboy, and new versions of Ronald McDonald and Spiderman.
This year’s parade also ushered in changes to the parade’s route for the first time since 1924. The parade began at 77th street and Central Park West, and moved through Times Square, to finish at 7th Avenue. The reason for the change was to allow more space for the parade and provide more room for spectators to view the parade.
A wide variety of musicians performed this year, including Andrea Bocelli, Boys Like Girls, The Roots, Carly Simon, Ziggy Marley, Jimmy Fallon, Katharine McPhee and Jay Sean . The Broadway shows highlighted during the parade included the casts of Shrek, Hair, Billy Elliot and Bye Bye Birdie.
The televised Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has become a Thanksgiving tradition for many families across America. “We tend to think of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as the opening act of the holiday season,” said Executive Producer Robin Hall. “The parade, like the holiday it celebrates, is an event that brings friends and families together, and watching the parade is a cherished holiday ritual for millions of people, whether they are lined up along our famous parade route or huddled in front of their televisions.”
As the final float carried a jolly Santa Claus in a sleigh full of toys out of sight, the crowds of lively families began flocking away to enjoy their Thanksgiving meals. The end of the 83rd Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a harbinger that the holidays are here, once again.
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