History of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

In 1924, animals from the Central Park Zoo marched down a street in Harlem accompanied by a group of immigrant Macy’s employees. These men and women wanted to share their gratitude for and pride in their newfound home. At this first parade, Santa was crowned “King of the Kiddies” on Macy’s balcony at the 34th Street store entrance. With an audience of over 250,000 people, the parade was so successful that Macy’s declared it would become an annual event. And thus, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was born.

The parade quickly became a New York holiday tradition to the joy of nearly all except the zoo animals. But, they were replaced by more predictable character balloons. These signature attractions debuted in 1927 with a helium-filled Felix the Cat.

With no way to deflate the balloon, Felix was released into the sky at the parade’s end where it eventually popped. This practice continued until, in 1932, one stray balloon wrapped itself around an airplane’s wing, sending it into a tailspin. No balloons have been released since then.

During World War II, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was suspended due to demand for rubber and helium. Balloons were deflated and donated to the government, providing 60 pounds of scrap rubber to aid the war effort. In 1945, the parade resumed, and two years later, the film “Miracle on 34th Street,” featuring footage from the 1946 parade, made the Macy’s Parade a household name.

The parade has been nationally televised on NBC since 1953. Now, more than 50 million TV viewers and 3.5 million in attendance watch this holiday treasure weave through Manhattan. The parade is a 2.5-mile route from West 77th Street & Central Park West to Macy’s Herald Square.

This year, the parade will once again air on NBC on Thursday, November 23, from 9 am to 12 pm. The procession will feature 21 balloons, 31 floats, 11 marching bands, 29 clown crews, and a plethora of celebrities of sound, stage, and screen! Broadway Stages encourages you to join in the fun and enjoy this special NYC holiday event. Be sure to dress warmly and get there early if you plan on attending in person. Happy Thanksgiving!