Macy’s Parade or Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is an annual parade that is held by
the owners and workers of the famous Macy’s Department store. It is one of the
most popular events in the United States of America and is held only in the city
of New York. The entire event is a three-hour celebration, starting from 9 in
the morning and covers the complete route from 77th St and Central Park West at
the American Museum of Natural History till the 34th St and 7th Ave in the
southern zone of the city. For a period of over 75 years, the parade has been
organized in the city, providing the residents with a tradition that celebrates
both America and calls forth Christmas. It is one of the most popular events in
the United States, till date.
The first Thanksgiving Day Parade was held in 1924 and was called 'Macy's
Christmas Day Parade', despite the fact that it took place on a Thanksgiving
Day. It took three years to actually re-name it 'Macy's Thanksgiving Day
Parade'. American parades actually are an extension of the European tradition.
In the 1920's, many store employees of Macy's department were second generation
immigrants and were proud of their new American heritage. They wanted to
introduce their beloved European tradition to an American Holiday. So, they
marched from 145 Street down to 34th Street, dressed in fancy costumes of
clowns, cowboys, knights and sheiks. There were 25 live animals in their parade,
borrowed from the Central Park Zoo along with floats and professional bands.
The first Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade was an instant hit and attracted the
attention of millions. In 1927, large balloons were introduced for the first
time in the parade, in the shape of Felix the Cat. There was a tradition of
releasing the balloons, which would float for days. Lucky finders could claim a
prize for the balloons, but this custom is now extinct. The parade continued to
grown with the passing time. New balloons were introduced in the shape of Walt
Disney characters and there were radio shows telling all about the ceremony and
Santa's arrival at 34th Street. During World War II, the Parade was suspended,
but resumed in 1945 and was televised in New York. A new route was chosen for
the Parade, which remains in vogue till date.
In 1963, the parade had to be held less than a week after President Kennedy's
assassination and the country was still in mourning, but Macy's employees
decided that they could not disappoint millions of children and went on with the
Parade. In 1971, balloons and floats were absent, because it was an
exceptionally windy. Some of the favorite Macy's Thanksgiving Parade balloons
and floats are Snoopy, Kermit the Frog, and Superman. It is a magical experience
for adults and children alike and is unique to New York. Nationwide television
networks have covered Macy's Parade and made it more popular. Celebrities like
Sid Caesar, Danny Kaye and Howdy Doody have also made their appearances in the
parade. It continues to this day with the same popularity.
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