The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is turning 100. Photos show how the tradition has evolved since 1924.
![Pokémon characters Pikachu and Eevee were featured in the 2023 parade.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Macy's
- The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was first held on November 27, 1924.
- It's been a hallmark of the holiday season since then, featuring celebrities and character balloons.
- This year's parade airs on Thursday, November 28 at 8:30 a.m. ET on NBC.
On Thursday, November 28, Macy's will kick off its 98th Thanksgiving Day Parade.
But what's extra special about this year's parade is that it's also the 100-year anniversary of the first Macy's parade — then called the Macy's Christmas Parade — which was held on November 27, 1924. (The company skipped the event from 1942-1944 because of World War II.)
Since then, the parade has grown into a spectacle of giant helium balloons, extravagent floats, marching bands, Broadway performances, celebrity appearances, and more.
"Every single year, we really try to deliver the best in entertainment," Kathleen Wright, director of production operations for Macy's studios, told the "Today" show on Monday.
So, as more than 5,000 volunteers, 32 balloons, and 22 floats prepare to grace the streets of New York City, here's a look back at Macy's first parade and how the tradition has evolved over the last 100 years.
![The first Santa Claus float featured in the Macy's Christmas Parade in 1924.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Macy's
The first parade featured live animals from the Central Park Zoo.
![Happy Dragon was the second balloon featured in the 1927 parade.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
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Happy Dragon (pictured above) and Felix the Cat were two balloons on display that year.
![A Mickey Mouse balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in 1934.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
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The balloon handlers were also dressed as Mickey Mouse.
![An Uncle Sam balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in the 1940s](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
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An Uncle Sam balloon graced the streets of New York City in the 1940s.
![The Radio City Rockettes perform at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1958.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
John Lindsay/AP Photo
The Rockettes were founded in 1925.
![Miss Teenage America at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in the 1960s.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Anthony Camerano/AP
She was accompanied by her "Prince Charming," actor Troy Donahue.
![The "Peanuts" character Snoopy was debuted as a balloon for the first time in 1968 as "Flying Ace Snoopy."](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Macy's
The balloon was named "Flying Ace Snoopy."
According to Macy's, Snoopy is the "longest-running character balloon" in the parade's history.
![A Kermit the Frog balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1977.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Macy's
The balloon handlers were also dressed as Kermit, with green outfits and yellow collars.
![A Sesame Street float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1980.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Ken Howard/Getty Images
Sesame Street began airing in 1969.
![A Woody Woodpecker balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1982.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
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The Woody Woodpecker show aired between 1940 and 1972.
![A Raggedy Anne balloon in the Macy's Thanskgiving Day Parade in 1984.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
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Raggedy Ann was a character created by author and artist Johnny Gruelle in 1915.
![A Betty Boop balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1985.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Macy's
The ballon also held over 15,000 cubic feet of helium.
![An Olive Oyl and Swee'Pea balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1986.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
AP Photo
Olive Oyl and Swee'Pea were characters from "Popeye."
![A Pink Panther balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1988.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
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The first Pink Panther film was created in 1963.
![A Ronald McDonald balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1989.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Tim Clary/AP Photo
An estimated 1.8 million people attended the chilly parade.
![A Clifford the Big Red Dog balloon at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1990.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
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The first "Clifford" story was published in 1963 by Norman Bridwell.
![A Spider-Man balloon at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1991.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
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It was fitting for a Spider-Man balloon to fly over New York City, just as the character does in the comics and movies.
![A Bart Simpson balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1992.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Bebeto Matthews/AP Photo
"The Simpsons" remains the longest-running scripted sitcom in television history.
![A crowd of singers and an American flag at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1993.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Stringer/Getty Images
The singers wore red sweaters with white scarves as they waved American flags.
![The Cat in the Hat balloon at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1994.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Stringer/Reuters
A billboard for the Tony Award-winning musical "Kiss of the Spider Woman" can be seen in the background.
![A Beethoven balloon at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1995.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Jeff Christensen/Reuters
There are eight "Beethoven" movies in total.
![A Betty Boop balloon at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1996.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Jeff Christensen/Reuters
She was sitting on a crescent moon again.
![A Pink Panther balloon fell to the ground at the 1997 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Jeff Christensen/Reuters
One of the balloons blew into a lamppost, knocking it into the crowd and injuring two people, The New York Times reported in 1997.
!["Rugrats" balloons in the 1998 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Adam Nadel/AP Photo
"Rugrats" characters Chuckie and Tommy rode their dog Spike in the 1998 parade.
![An Ask Jeeves float in the 1999 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Jeff Christensen/Reuters
The Ask Jeeves float was accompanied by Miss America winner Heather French.
![A marching band preceded an Arthur balloon during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2000.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Craig Blankenhorn/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
The animated children's series "Arthur" aired from 1996 to 2022.
![Firefighters in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2001.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Chris Hondros/Getty Images
Members of the New York City fire department carried an American flag.
![Justin Guarini of "American Idol" sings at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2002.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Matthew Peyton/Getty Images
Guarini placed second to Kelly Clarkson on the show's first season.
The "100 Christmases" sign behind him was a nod to the age of Macy's iconic storefront in Herald Square, which opened in 1902.
![Simple Plan posed on an M&M float during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2003.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Matthew Peyton/Getty Images
The band released the singles "Addicted" and "Perfect" in 2003.
![Performers on stilts and unicycles at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2004.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Mario Tama/Getty Images
Performers followed the parade route on stilts and unicycles.
![A Charlie Brown balloon was featured in the 2005 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Jeff Christensen/AP Photo
The "Peanuts" character chased after his football.
![The Big Bird balloon sank to the ground at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2006.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Stephen Chernin/Getty Images
The Big Bird balloon sank to the ground due to inclement weather.
![A Shrek balloon in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2007.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Hiroko Masuike/Getty Images
The third "Shrek" movie, "Shrek the Third," came out in 2007.
![Miley Cyrus waved from a "Bolt" float at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2008.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Yana Paskova/Getty Images
Cyrus appeared on a float for the 2008 animated Disney movie "Bolt," in which she was the voice of Penny.
![Keke Palmer blew a kiss to the crowd at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2009.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
Palmer sang her song "Top of the World" on a Build-A-Bear float. At the time, she was the star of Nickelodeon's "True Jackson, VP."
![Miranda Cosgrove at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2010.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
Cosgrove voices Margo in the "Despicable Me" franchise.
![NYPD officers march in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2011.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Michael Nagle/Getty Images
Spider-Man followed closely in the background.
![The Fierce Five (Kyla Ross, Aly Raisman, Jordyn Wieber, McKayla Maroney, and Gabby Douglas) at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2012.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Desiree Navarro/Getty Images
The Fierce Five led Team USA to gold in the team all-around for the first time in more than a decade.
![Performers huddled for warmth at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2013.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Kena Betancur/Getty Images
The National Weather Service reported that the high in Central Park that day was 35 degrees. Despite cold temperatures, the New York Daily News reported that 3.5 million people attended the event.
![A Spider-Man balloon at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2014.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Brad Barket/Getty Images
In "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," which was released in 2014, the titular character was played by Andrew Garfield.
![A Pikachu balloon at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2015 is in the background, while NYPD officers stand in the foreground.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Kena Betancur/Getty Images
For the first time, the parade featured 200 officers from the NYPD Counterterrorism Bureau's Critical Response Command, The New York Times reported.
![A marching band at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2016. Their drums read, "Macy's 90 Thanksgiving Day Parade."](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images
Marching band drums marked Macy's 90th parade.
![A red Power Ranger balloon at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2017.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Noam Galai/Getty Images for Saban Brands
The balloon handlers wore matching red outfits.
![A Spongebob Squarepants balloon was included in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2018. The balloon's handlers wore matching Spongebob outfits.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Atilgan Ozdil/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Perhaps SpongeBob was paying tribute to the original "Christmas Parade."
![An Olaf balloon at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2019.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Ralph Bavaro/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
"Frozen 2" came out in 2019.
![Santa and his elves wore masks at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2020.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Macy's Inc.
Despite there being no live crowds, the parade still featured performances from the Goo Goo Dolls, Sofia Carson, CNCO, Pentatonix, and more.
![The cast of "Wicked" on Broadway performing "One Short Day."](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Eric Liebowitz/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
Broadway performances have been a parade staple for decades.
![Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb posed while hosting the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Cara Howe/Contributor/NBC via Getty Images
In 2022, NBC's Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker were part of the show.
![Pokémon characters Pikachu and Eevee were featured in the 2023 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Macy's
According to Macy's, each blade on Pikachu and Eevee's Poké Ball sleigh is about the same length as a semi-trailer truck.
![The Tom Turkey float at the 2023 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The Macy's star balloon follows behind as crowds of people watch and march with the parade.](../themes/icons/grey.gif)
Macy's
While there will be more than 10 combined new balloons and floats, Macy's still leaves room for the classics like Tom Turkey, which is "the longest running title float in the Parade," according to the brand.