Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a popular New York City tradition. Known for its oversized balloons that float above the route from Central Park West to the Macy’s Department Store at Herald Square, the event marks the beginning of the Christmas season for many Americans. Since the first parade in 1924, the event has only been suspended from 1942-1944, while World War II was being fought overseas.
In 1924, Macy’s store employees marched to the famous Macy’s Herald Square, the flagship department store on 34th Street. There were floats, bands, and live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo. At the end, Santa Claus was welcomed into the Macy’s store to launch the Christmas season for all the kids. Thousands of people showed up for the first parade, so Macy’s declared it an annual event. In 1928, the zoo animals were replaced by huge balloon characters, which became well-known symbols for the parade…
Today, the three-hour Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is still considered the world’s largest parade. It always starts at 9:00 am Eastern Time on Thanksgiving Day and has been televised on NBC since 1953. For over 60 years, the Rockettes of Radio City Music Hall have been the act that launches the festivities, and since the very beginning, the parade always ends with the arrival of Santa Claus to ring in the Christmas season.
After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on New York City, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was held just two months later. As a part of an effort to find a sense of healing and normalcy, the beloved holiday tradition endured. The event was marked with an undertone of grief as downtown recovery workers were still sifting the smoldering ruins at Ground Zero. In a show of patriotism, first responders marched in the parade carrying two, specially made, American flags. From above, the flags took the form of the fallen Twin Towers of the World Trade Center.
“As we express our gratitude,
we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words,
but to live by them.”
(John F. Kennedy)
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Randall acts as the lead writer for ColdWater’s Drive Thru History® TV series and Drive Thru History® “Adventures” curriculum.
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