Thanksgiving isn’t just about turkey and football—it’s also about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, a swirling spectacle of nostalgia, oversized balloons, and moments that are equal parts awe-inspiring and absurd.
Since its debut in 1924, the parade has embodied holiday spirit—though not without a side of drama. The first parade? It wasn’t even about Thanksgiving; Macy’s dubbed it the “Christmas Parade” to nudge shoppers into their stores early. Santa’s grand appearance wasn’t the only showstopper—live animals from the Central Park Zoo once marched alongside performers. (Pro tip: Bears don’t take kindly to marching bands.)
It wasn’t until 1927 that balloons became the centerpiece, but the early years were, shall we say, experimental. They let balloons drift into the sky with return address tags. Fun! Until a balloon ensnared an airplane, forcing an emergency landing. By the late '30s, they opted for less airborne chaos—but not before Popeye’s hat dumped freezing water on spectators in 1957 or a lamppost sliced Sonic the Hedgehog in 1993.
Wind remains the parade’s greatest villain. In 1997, a gust slammed the Cat in the Hat balloon into a lamppost, critically injuring a spectator. That led to strict wind restrictions, ensuring we now only fear awkward lip-syncing from Broadway performers instead of rogue balloons.
And then there was 1986: a year so riddled with disasters it’s a miracle the parade survived. Superman’s balloon got caught in a tree and shredded, Raggedy Ann crashed into a lamppost, and Betty Boop couldn’t hold it together and fell to the ground. Even Popeye made his contribution—gathering cold rainwater in his hat to splash unsuspecting spectators.
The parade’s darker moments aren’t limited to the skies. In 1995, Dudley the Dragon collided with a lamppost, causing shattered glass to rain down on the crowd. Thankfully, NBC cut away to prerecorded footage of the balloon’s test flight—because nothing says holiday cheer like avoiding lawsuits on live TV.
Then there’s the business side of the parade. NBC has long held the official broadcast rights, but thanks to a public event loophole, CBS can still air it. However, only NBC gets to call it the "Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade," while CBS generically brands it as the "Thanksgiving Day Parade." If you're a fan of passive-aggressive network rivalry, it's the perfect holiday backdrop.
Whether you’re there for the Broadway numbers, the massive Snoopy balloon, or just the schadenfreude of watching cartoon characters go rogue, the Macy’s Parade is proof that even the most glamorous traditions can be delightfully chaotic. Happy Thanksgiving!
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