Interesting Bits Of Trivia About The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade

Interesting Bits Of Trivia About The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade

Oct 25

Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated in the United States and Canada. It commemorates the harvest and the first Thanksgiving feast held by the Pilgrims in 1621.

One of the biggest icons of the Thanksgiving Holiday is the Macy’s Parade held in New York City every year. The Macy’s parade has been held annually since 1924, making it one of the country’s longest-running and most popular parades. Here are some interesting bits of trivia about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade:

1. The very first Macy’s parade was actually called the “Macy’s Christmas Parade.” It was started in 1924 as a way to boost holiday shopping sales. The parade was originally meant to be a promotional event for Macy’s department store but has since become a beloved tradition for families across America.
2. The parade originally featured animals from the Central Park Zoo, but they were eventually replaced by floats and inflatable balloons.
3. The first balloon in the Macy’s parade was Felix the Cat, which made its debut in 1927.
4. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the world’s largest parade, with over 3.5 million spectators and more than 8,000 participants each year.
5. The parade features floats, marching bands, clowns, and of course, the iconic Macy’s balloons.
6. The balloons are inflated the night before the parade and kept tethered to the ground by thousands of volunteers.
7. In 1941, Walt Disney designed a Mickey Mouse balloon for the parade. This was the first time Mickey appeared in a parade.
8. The parade has been televised since 1948. The first telecast lasted two hours and fifteen minutes.
9. The parade has been hosted by many celebrities over the years, including Willard Scott, Al Roker, Matt Lauer, and Savannah Guthrie.
10. The parade features over 150 marching bands, 2,000 dancers, and 100 floats.
11. Some of the most popular floats are the “Pillsbury Doughboy,” “Coca-Cola Christmas truck,” and “Rocking Horse.”
12. The parade is one of the oldest and largest celebrations in the United States. It is a tradition that people look forward to every year.