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Every year, more than 3.5 million people line the streets of New York to see the Macy’s Parade, and another 50 million tune in to NBC. Movie & television stars come out, and the city glistens and comes alive with Christmas spirit. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade marks the beginning of the Christmas season.
According to The History Channel, Macy’s wanted to showcase the opening of the “World’s Largest Store” and its 1 million square feet of retail space at the start of the busy holiday shopping season, so it decided to throw New York a parade on Thanksgiving morning. Despite its timing, the parade wasn’t actually about Thanksgiving at all, but the next major holiday: Christmas. Macy’s hoped its “Christmas Parade” would whet the appetites of consumers for a holiday shopping feast.
Random Parade Facts
- The first parade in 1924 was called the “Macy’s Christmas Day Parade,” although it took place on Thanksgiving Day.
- The original parade route was from 145th Street in Harlem to 34th Street at Herald Square. Macy’s is located on 34th Street in Herald Square.
- The floats were pulled by horses. In the first parade, a white steed meant to pull the Ben-Hur float disappeared at the last minute before the parade began.
- In 1927, Macy’s introduced the world-famous giant helium balloons. The first balloons included Felix the Cat and Toy Soldier. Unfortunately, a Felix the Cat balloon got caught in some telephone wires and caught fire. They put out the fire, but removed Felix from the parade.
- Santa Claus has ended the parade every year except 1933, the only year he led it.
- The parade was canceled in 1942, 1943, and 1944 due to World War II.
- Macy’s is the world’s second-largest consumer of helium. The United States government is the first.
- In 2013, Westchester, Ohio’s very own Lakota West HS marching band performed in the parade.
One of the first balloons, Felix the Cat
Best Views for the Parade
If you are watching the parade anywhere along the route, you are likely to miss everything that happens in front of Macy’s. If you are lucky enough to get a seat or grandstand ticket (tickets aren’t available to the general public unless you are a VIP or willing to dole out a lot of cash to someone selling on eBay), you will not get to see much, as there are so many people lining the streets. The higher up in the streets you go, the more space there is and the closer you can get to the Parade. You will likely be cold and/or wet as it often rains on Thanksgiving Day.
Bottom Line
If you LOVE crowds and MUST experience the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, then go. We recommend standing along Central Park West a few blocks south of the lineup on the west side of the avenue. Stay away from the area around Macy’s. Those areas will get VERY crowded. In any case, start the adventure with an empty bladder, and get there by 6 a.m. But ultimately, the best views of the parade, floats, balloons, and the professional performers are at home on the couch in front of the TV.
If you are spending time in New York, be sure to check out my post, What to Expect If You Want to Ring in the New Year in NYC.
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