As the air chills and winter edges closer, few things feel as American, or as full of cozy holiday nostalgia, as watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The Macy’s Parade is a timeless spectacle soaring through decades, sparking joy, memories, and a sense of nostalgia. Here’s how it all began.
From Humble Beginnings in 1924
The very first Macy’s Parade marched through Manhattan in 1924. What started as a walk by store employees quickly turned into a full-blown celebration filled with floats, professional bands, and live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo. Lions, camels, bears… they all made an appearance. At the end, Santa Claus arrived at Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street, crowned the “King of the Kiddies,” and waved to a crowd of over 250,000.
The parade was originally known as the “Macy’s Christmas Parade” — but its success made it an annual Thanksgiving tradition, replacing the old local custom known as Ragamuffin Day. It was part marketing stunt, part heartfelt festive display, and part magic that instantly felt like more than retail.
The Balloon Era Begins: From Animals to Airborne Icons
The real transformation happened just a few years in. In 1927, the parade swapped out the live animals for balloons. This was a safer, wilder, more imaginative way to amaze the streets of New York. The first balloon to take to the skies was the cartoon-favorite Felix the Cat.
At first, these balloons were simple: air-filled and mounted on poles. But by 1928, Macy’s upgraded to helium-filled balloons, and that’s when the magic truly began. Suddenly, figures could float above the crowd. Early on, balloons were actually released at the end of the parade. They came with return-addresses and a promised reward if found. But after a 1932 accident involving a balloon and an airplane, the practice was scrapped.
Over time, the balloons became definitive — the symbol of the parade itself.
Enter Snoopy
The beloved beagle Snoopy first soared above NYC streets in 1968 in his World War I Flying Ace outfit. It was the first time a “Peanuts” character balloon joined the parade, and folks went wild.
Since then, Snoopy has become the most-frequently appearing character in parade history. Over decades, he’s worn aviator goggles, strapped on a space helmet as an astronaut Snoopy, zipped around on skates for a holiday-themed Skater Snoopy, and even sported designs customized to the parade’s evolving style.
From Radio Waves to Living Rooms: The Parade Grows Up
Over the years, the parade grew in spectacle and reach. By the 1930s it drew crowds over a million strong. After a brief World War II pause (1942–1944), when rubber and helium balloons were repurposed for the war effort, the parade returned in 1945, gaining popularity quickly.
Television entered the scene in 1953, bringing the grandeur: the floats, the balloons, the marching bands, into living rooms across America. From that moment, the parade became a shared national holiday ritual.
Floats, too, became more elaborate. Designed “in-house” by Macy’s, they grew taller, wider, more artistic. Some floats today stand 40 feet tall and 28 feet wide, illustrating just how commitment and craftsmanship have defined this tradition for nearly a century.
Every year, when the parade lights up screens and streets, it’s not just about commerce or tradition. It’s about a collective sigh of relief: autumn giving way to holiday sparkle, nostalgia mingling with new memories, and the sweet suspension of everyday routine. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade reminds us: there is still room in this world for wonder, for whimsy, for simple joy.