Just as turkey is a tradition on the table, watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is also synonymous with Thanksgiving.
The 92nd Macy’s Day Parade will air from 9 am until noon. This year’s lineup of performing artists include some artists from Music City – Martina McBride, Kane Brown, Sugarland, Carly Pearce, and Tegan Marie with the Girl Scouts.
Other artists that will be performing – Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Diana Ross, Barenaked Ladies, Ashley Tisdale, Penatonix, and more.
Beginning in 1924, the tradition has been long held and noted for its giant inflatable character balloons, floats, and more. But did you know the parade was a radio broadcast before becoming televised in 1946 on NBC?
Below are five other interesting facts about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
- Originally, it was a Christmas parade. The first parade was organized in 1924 with floats, bands, and animals from the zoo. Three years later, the parade was renamed to the Thanksgiving parade.
- The large balloons came to the parade in 1927. Mickey Mouse first made an appearance in 1934 and each year since then. The tradition in the early years was at the end of the parade to allow the balloons to float away, if you were lucky enough to find one, you could find a Macy’s gift card inside.
- A day ahead of the parade, fans can watch the balloons inflate in the staging area outside the Museum of Natural History. The balloons are constructed in the Macy’s studio located in New Jersey.
- While the parade is in its 92nd year, the route has made a few changes. For quite a few years, the parade’s Midtown route went right down Broadway. However, in 2009, the route was moved to Seventh Avenue because of a new pedestrian plaza along Broadway. This year, it will begin at 77th Street and Central Park West, where it takes a left turn at 59th Street. It will continue to ride past Central Park until reaches Sixth Avenue. From there, it will head down straight down to 34th Street, where it will hang right and end at the flagship store.
- There have been a few mishaps over the years. In 1957, a wet day got wetter for people near a Popeye balloon when the character’s hat filled with water and drenched parade watchers. It happened again in 1962 with a Donald Duck hat. And one year Superman lost an arm in a tree branch.
