If you celebrate Thanksgiving, there are a few traditions that you and your family probably do. You cook the turkey to perfection, get the fall-themed decorations up, watch a few Thanksgiving-themed episodes of Friends — and best of all, watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Since 1924, millions of people have either turned up or tuned in to watch the spectacle in Manhattan, New York. What started as a small outing in the mid-1920s turned into a national tradition celebrated by millions. Every year, there are gigantic balloons in the sky, spectacular performances of all kinds from A-listers, and live music for three whole hours.
Back in 1928, balloons were introduced as the major attraction instead of living animals — thank goodness. Since then, our favorite cartoon characters have made appearances such as Bart Simpson, Scooby-Doo, Pikachu — and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
After nearly a whole century of being a national tradition, there’s a lot people don’t know — or haven’t seen — from the legendary parade. From the Rockettes to Mariah Carey, there’s always something new to marvel at every year.
So, while you’re waiting for this year’s show, look through these photos of the parade throughout the years.
Giant Balloons Debut, 1929
Legendary giant ballon addition “Gobble the Turkey” made their debut in 1929, along with very, erm, whimsical other balloons.
Unique Balloon Balls, 1930
Giant balloons — in actual balloon form — crowded the streets on Thanksgiving Day, 1930.
One Million RSVP, 1933
By 1933, more than one million people started attending the parades to see the spectacles.
No More Horses, 1940
This was the first year that balloons weren’t pulled by horses.
Back on Track, 1945
The parades were paused in the early 1940s due to World War II, so the 1945 parade was a highly-anticipated event.
LIVE on TV, 1948
The previous year was the first year the parades were televised, so the 1948 parade quickly became a smash hit.
Drenched, 1957
In the 1957 parade, onlookers were accidentally drenched in water when the Popeye balloon’s hat filled with water.
Record Breaking Numbers, 1959
Over 1.3 million watched the parade in 1959, breaking their past records.
Sports Stars, 1962
Sports stars started appearing at the parade. In 1962, stars like Willie Mays, Otto Graham, Jack Dempsey, and Ralph Terry made an appearance.
No Balloons & Only Rockettes, 1971
Due to heavy rain, the 1971 parade had to go without balloons. But they made up for it with a stellar performance from the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes.
Miss. America, 1983
Miss America Vanessa Williams joined the marching band for the 1983 parade.
Garfield, 1986
Garfield made his debut in 1984 but quickly became a fan-favorite in 1986.
First Appearances, 1989
Ronald McDonald was a fan favorite in 1989, along with Bugs Bunny.
Kermit Down, 1991
The 1991 parade was a hit and went off with very little obstacles. Kermit was the only one that didn’t make it past the heavy wind.
Pop Culture & Pumpkins, 1992
So many pop culture balloons paraded down the street, including Bart Simpson. They also added a recreation of the pumpkin balloons from the 1940s.
Issues Come In, 1997
The parade in 1997 was a bit of a wreck — a poor woman got hit by a lampost that was hit by the Cat in the Hat balloon. It got settled, but definitely freaked people out.
American Indian College Fund, 1999
Lisa Lopez and Monroe Weso of Keshena danced alongside the American Indian College Fund in the 1999 parade.
New Advancements, 2004
The parade had another advancement: the “balloonicle.” It was a combination of a cold air and a self-propelled vehicle.
Injury Again, 2005
Another accident happens, where the M&M balloon hit and injured two women. In lighter news, Scooby-Doo made his debut in 2005.
Pikachu, 2006
The Pikachu balloon was such a fan favorite that they brought him back with an adjoining Pokeball balloon.
Shrek & Dolly, 2007
The 2007 parade was a legendary one with all of the amazing floats, especially since Dolly Parton performed.
A-List, 2008
The 2008 parade had a bunch of A-list acts like Miley Cyrus, Rick Astley, Kristin Chenoweth, and Idina Menzel.
Tim Burton, 2011
Every year the parade brings in new balloons. In 2011, Tim Burton unveiled a creepy balloon named “B.”
Hello Kitty, 2012
2012 was the first year they brought the Hello Kitty balloon into the mix.
New Balloons, 2014
The 2014 parade had five new character balloons: Thomas the Tank Engine, Paddington, Red Power Ranger, and the Pillsbury Doughboy, to name a few.
Mariah Carey, 2015
The Queen of Christmas herself Mariah Carey stole the show at the 2015 parade, with the following acts being Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, and Plain White T’s, to name a few.
Holidays Came Early, 2017
Christmas came early when our favorite Frozen character Olaf made his debut and Gwen Stefani performed an insane show.
Pretty Penny, 2019
Apparently, for the 2019 parade, it cost around $500,000 to fill the balloons with helium.
COVID-19, 2020
Due to COVID-19, attendance was reduced by 75% with participants needing to be at least 18 years old.
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