Every year, television sets across America tune into one event, almost without exception. The annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (lovingly shortened to The Macy’s Day Parade) has been a tradition for nearly one hundred years! Nothing says the American Dream quite like inflatable cartoon characters, a giant turkey, dancing marching bands, and, of course, Old Saint Nick and his reindeer. We hope you enjoy this thoroughly nostalgic stroll through past decades to examine and admire the parade of Thanksgiving floats that graced the streets and airspace of New York City once upon a time!
#1: The Macy’s Christmas Parade
On November 27th, 1924 (almost exactly one hundred years ago today), Macy’s sponsored their first-ever Thanksgiving Day parade! The spectacle featured four floats, four bands, hundreds of Macy’s employees and professional performers, animals from the Central Park Zoo (pictured in our title image), and everybody’s favorite jolly gift-giver, Santa Claus.
