Macy's Day Parade

In this episode - Macy’s Day Parade . . .

Thanksgiving in America is known for traditions like turkey dinners, football games, and Black Friday sales. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a long-standing tradition that captures millions of hearts.

For nearly a century, the parade has been a source of joy for people of all ages, attracting millions of viewers in person and on television. The parade features giant balloons, marching bands, Broadway musical casts, and celebrity performers, making it America's biggest Thanksgiving Day spectacle. It is hard to imagine Thanksgiving morning without this iconic parade. But how did it all begin? And how has it become a beloved tradition that people look forward to every year?

It was 1924, and Macy's held its first Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade featured store employees, entertainers, floats, marching bands, and animals from the Central Park Zoo. Santa Claus concluded the parade by riding into Herald Square. Over a quarter million New Yorkers attended the parade, and Macy's declared it an annual event.

Over the years, the parade has transformed into a magnificent spectacle with large helium-filled balloons instead of zoo animals. The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company created the balloons in the late 1920s, back then released and return address labels were sewn into them so that whoever found them could return them to Macy's and receive a reward.

Macey’s parade grew in popularity throughout the 1930s, and by 1933, it had over a million viewers. The festivities were broadcast over the radio starting in 1932 and continuing until the advent of television. The parade was put on hold from 1942-1944 due to World War II, but it resumed in 1945, breaking records with its crowds.

In 1947, the movie "Miracle on 34th Street" celebrated the parade, which was then known as the "Macy's Day Parade." This marked a turning point, and the tradition became well-known and beloved.

1948, the parade was broadcast on national television for the first time. CBS aired the festivities for the first few years, but since 1952, NBC has broadcast the official telecast. The telecast has gone through a long list of hosts, from Betty White to Ed McMahon to Katie Couric. The current team to lead the TV coverage includes Today Show hosts Al Roker, Savannah Guthrie, and Hoda Kotb.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2016 had an estimated 45 million viewers, with four million lining the route in NYC. It's the most-watched non-competitive event of its kind on Television every year - a symbol of holiday joy throughout the country.

I’m Patrick Ball. Happy Thanksgiving! See you in the next episode.