Top 15 Secrets of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC - Page 6 of 15 - Untapped New York (2024)

FAQs

Has a Macy's balloon ever popped? ›

Felix the Cat was the parade's first-ever balloon, debuting in 1927. But there wasn't a plan on how to deflate him after the event, according to TIME, so handlers released him — and he promptly popped.

The parade was only ever cancelled a handful of times including three years during World War II and in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Initially featuring live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo, it gradually incorporated large helium balloons in the 1930s. Over the years, the parade has grown in scale, featuring iconic characters and balloons, as well as performances by various celebrities.

A newspaper showing the infamous Cat in the Hat balloon incident from 1997. Of note, this is said to be the worst accident in Parade history. Even though the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a sight to be seen, sometimes things don't go according to plan, and even change the parade.

In 1989, Central Park received 4.7 inches of snow by the time the first Thanksgiving snowstorm in New York City in 51 years came to a close, according to The New York Times. Despite the snow, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was held, with 1.8 million spectators facing the elements to watch the parade live.

These days, the balloons are simply deflated, crated and stored in New Jersey once the parade ends.

Before 1927, Macy's used real animals, including lions, bears, tigers, camels, goats, elephants and donkeys. The animals were replaced with giant character balloons that have stolen the hearts of many Americans. From 1929 to 1931, Macy's would release the balloons at the end of the parade.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual parade in New York City presented by the U.S.-based department store chain Macy's.

Felix the Cat was the first large-scale balloon ever in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. He made his debut in 1927.

How old is the Macy's parade? ›

The parade in New York City, as much a holiday tradition as turkey, football and dinner-table debates, started in 1924. Balloons first appeared in 1927, replacing live animals from the Central Park Zoo.

First held in 1920, the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade has a vibrant legacy as the oldest Thanksgiving Day parade in America. The parade was created by Gimbel Brothers Department Store for the children and residents of Philadelphia.

There is indeed a force pulling down on these massive balloons. This gravitational force is proportional to the mass of the object. Both the outer material and the gas within have mass that results in a weight of perhaps 2,000 Newtons (450 pounds).

An 80-foot Superman made his first appearance in the 1980 parade and has since set the record for tallets balloon.

When is the 100th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? The 100th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will be celebrated in 2024.

These days, the balloons are simply deflated, crated and stored in New Jersey once the parade ends.

Each large balloon needs about 90 minutes to be inflated. But it only takes 15 minutes to deflate (thanks to strategic deflation vents and the ol' lay-on-it-and-roll method that balloon handlers employ at the end of each parade).

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons are deflated after the parade for several reasons: Safety: The balloons are made of helium, which is a flammable gas. If the balloons were to ignite, they could cause a major fire hazard.

After the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the inflatables used during the event are typically deflated and packed away for storage. Here's what generally happens to the inflatables: Deflation: Once the parade is over, the inflatables are deflated.