One way to spend your Thanksgiving morning is by turning on NBC to watch Macy’s annual parade. Whether you’ve watched the parade religiously every year, or you barely recognize the name, here is some information about the parade that I think you’ll find interesting.
General Info
This year, the parade will have been on for 93 consecutive years. It will be on from 9-12 Eastern Time. They have a pre-show from 8-9 a.m. There will be performers, floats, music artists, novelty balloons, high school marching bands, and best of all, Santa Claus as the grand finale.
2017 Lineup
Performers
Andy Grammer, Sabrina Carpenter, Nicky Jam, Lauren Alaina, Goo Goo Dolls, Bebe Rexha, Angelica Hale, Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi, Leslie Odom Jr., Miss America Cara Mund, Jojo Siwa, Olivia Holt, The Radio City Rockettes, Kat Graham, Smokey Robinson, Wyclef Jean, Dustin Lynch, Common, Cam, Andra Day, Sara Evans, and 98 Degrees.
Balloons
Elf on the Shelf, Charlie Brown, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, SpongeBob SquarePants, Pikachu, and Olaf, just to name a few.
Tune in to NBC’s annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade to see all of the lineup!
History
The first parade was in 1924. The first large balloon to be showcased was Felix the Cat in 1927. The first parade in 1924 featured animals from the zoo. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade no longer uses real animals. Today, the parade uses only actors, people, and ample floats and balloons.
Currently, There are an estimated 50 million people who watch it on TV at home, and 3.5 million people who watch the parade from the streets of New York City. The parade route is a little under 3 miles, starting at 77th Central Street and Central Park and ending at 34th Street.
Highlights of the Show
The following provides you a list of the best moments of the parade, so keep an eye out for these performers or special features. The best part of the parade is the grand finale, which of course is none other than the man of Christmas himself, Santa Claus. Once he arrives, it is officially the beginning of the Christmas spirit and preparations for the next holiday.
I’m getting a little bit ahead of myself – during the pre-show, my personal favorite are the broadway sneak peaks. They have performers from the show rehearse a number, and it is usually entertaining.
Another show stopper that you can’t miss is the New York City Rockettes. They are known for their line kick, where they all line up and kick uniformly. It is so neat! They perform every year.
You can’t forget about Tom the Turkey and the first pilgrims. Tom the Turkey is a cute mechanical float. The pilgrims are people dressed in costumes with over-sized heads. It really feels like a Thanksgiving Day Parade when they arrive.
The parade really feels like a giant community that attempts to incorporate the talents of younger people through the high school marching bands and cheerleaders. It is such a pleasure to perceive young passionate people performing. It is always fun to see how close in proximity they do or don’t live from you.
Check out Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade for a morning filled with fun, excitement, and holiday joy. :)
Sources:
https://www.macys.com/social/parade/2017/
http://abcnews.go.com/US/photos/macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-years-9150043/image-27004188
https://www.nyctourist.com/macys_map.htm