With its high-flying balloons, colorful floats and memorable performances, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City is an iconic fixture of the holiday.
Here are some facts that you might not know about the parade.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year, but when it debuted back in 1924, it was actually a Christmas Parade.
It officially became the Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1927, which is why it still ends with Santa Claus kicking off the holiday season.
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The Macy’s Parade might be the biggest, but it is not the oldest. That distinction is held by the Thanksgiving Parade in Philadelphia, which began in 1920. The Macy’s Parade was first broadcast on radio in 1932 and on NBC Television in 1946.
The coldest parade was 19° in 2018 while the warmest was 69° in 1933.
The balloons have always been the headliners and there have been some big debuts: Mickey Mouse in 1934 and Donald Duck in 1935. Mighty Mouse debuted in 1951, Popeye in 1957, Snoopy in 1968, Kermit in 1977, and Spider-Man in 1987.
The 1990s featured two infamous incidents that changed the parade rules forever. In 1992, Sonic The Hedgehog hit a lamppost and two people were injured.
In 1997, The Cat In The Hat hit a lamppost and four people were injured, including one person who was in a coma for nearly a month.
As a result, new wind rules were implemented. Balloons can only fly if the sustained winds remain below 23 mph and gusts remain under 34 mph.
This year’s parade might be breezy, but not windy enough for any balloon issues.
