2010 Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade of 2010 will be very different from its humble beginnings in 1924. That year, 400 store employees, most of them immigrants from Europe, dressed as clowns, cowboys, knights and sheiks to march from 145th St to 34th. Horses pulled the three floats. Four brass bands joined the marchers. And animals borrowed from the zoo, including camels, donkeys, elephants and goats, accompanied them. That year, Santa Claus arrived to unveil the store’s freshly decorated windows.
Originally named the “Macy’s Christmas Day Parade” the event was designed after holiday festivals from the homelands of the store workers. Herbert Strauss, then president of R.H. Macy & Co, took out newspaper ads proclaiming this a celebration that New York would never forget. And indeed, New York and the country have never forgotten. Each year’s parade seems grander than all those that went before. The giant helium-filled balloons appeared in 1927. When released, those balloons exploded because the designers had forgotten one essential fact. Helium expands rapidly at higher altitudes. After careful experimentation with helium and air mixes, Macy’s released balloons again in 1928 as a highlight of the parade. They remained intact.
In 1929, the released balloons carried a return address and the promise of a $50 award for their return. And the race was on. But that tradition was not without its risks. The Dachshund balloon fell into the East River and was pursued by two tugs vying for the prize. The balloon was torn apart in the process. A pilot attempting to capture one of the balloons nearly crashed on Broadway. In 1933, the balloon release was abandoned as too risky.
Beginning with Benny Goodman and Grouch Marx in the 1930’s, celebrities add their own excitement to the proceedings. Shirley Temple, Jackie Gleason, Betty White, and Sammy Davis Jr. have all joined the show. The 2010 parade boasts a star-studded cast. The Today Show’s Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira and Al Roker will host. They will be joined by such luminaries as India Arie, Arlo Guthrie, Jessica Simpson, Kanye West, Gladys Knight, Joan and Melissa Rivers, Miss USA 2010, and the cast and Muppets of Sesame Street, entertaining the crowd from moving stages.
This year’s parade features seven brand new floats. These include the icy white elegance of the Snow Queen; a lively dance party aboard Elves Raise the Roof; the historical Mount Rushmore, America’s Pride; Dora’s Christmas Carol Adventure; the delectable Home Baked Goodness float; On the Roll Again, which features a family of ducks; and the Top Hat! float.
Twenty floats coming back for another year are as follows: 123 Sesame Street,Big Apple, Bridge to the Future, Castle of Dreams, International CELEBEARation Clock Tower, Jolly Polly Pirate Ship, Marion-Carol Showboat, Pep Rally, Rocking Horse, Rocking Lobster, Santa’s Sleigh, Santaland Express, Shine On!, Smurf Mushroom, Snoopy’s Dog House, Statue of Liberty, Tom Turkey, True Spirit of Thanksgiving, Winter Wonderland in Central Park, and Woodland Family Gathering
This year’s giant 15 balloons will include old favorites like Mickey Mouse and the Pillsbury Dough Boy as well as newer characters such as Buzz Lightyear and Spongebob. Two brand new giant balloons, Kung Fu Panda and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, will be introduced. Novelty balloons and Balloonicles like the Energizer Bunny will provide some good laughs. The parade will feature twelve marching bands from across the United States, and one from Guatemala. Performance groups, 800 clowns and 1600 cheerleaders will round out the cast.
The parade will air from 9:00 to noon in all time zones on NBC. Spectators who want to see the balloons inflated can view them between 3 and 10 PM on Wednesday, November 24 near the Museum of Natural History.
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