Now in its 99th year, the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will soon bring together an unrivaled cast of balloon characters, along with floats, musical acts and spectators of all ages along New York City’s streets.
Originally dubbed the Macy’s Christmas Parade, the first event took off on November 24, 1924, in front of a crowd of 10,000. In 1927, Macy’s changed its name to the Thanksgiving Day Parade, debuting balloons that same year. Parade onlookers hit the 1 million mark in the 1930s – while more recently, 3.5 million people have lined the streets to watch. The elements have thrown some challenges through the years, with rainy hiccups, blustery days and some snow, but the parade marches on.
Tap the link in our bio to explore more parade balloons through the years, and see how the New York landscape has changed alongside this beloved American holiday event.
📸: Sara Krulwich/The New York Times/Redux | AP | Bettmann Archive/Getty Images | John Phillips/The LIFE Picture Collection/Shutterstock | Bettmann Archive/Getty Images | Courtesy Macy’s | Ira Berger/Alamy Stock Photo | Hiroji Kubota/Magnum | Joe Kohen/Getty Images | Carlo Allegri/Reuters
