The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is turning 100. Photos show how the tradition has evolved since 1924.
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- 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.
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The first parade featured live animals from the Central Park Zoo.
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Happy Dragon (pictured above) and Felix the Cat were two balloons on display that year.
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The balloon handlers were also dressed as Mickey Mouse.
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An Uncle Sam balloon graced the streets of New York City in the 1940s.
John Lindsay/AP Photo
The Rockettes were founded in 1925.
Anthony Camerano/AP
She was accompanied by her "Prince Charming," actor Troy Donahue.
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The balloon was named "Flying Ace Snoopy."
According to Macy's, Snoopy is the "longest-running character balloon" in the parade's history.
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The balloon handlers were also dressed as Kermit, with green outfits and yellow collars.
Ken Howard/Getty Images
Sesame Street began airing in 1969.
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The Woody Woodpecker show aired between 1940 and 1972.
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Raggedy Ann was a character created by author and artist Johnny Gruelle in 1915.
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The ballon also held over 15,000 cubic feet of helium.
AP Photo
Olive Oyl and Swee'Pea were characters from "Popeye."
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The first Pink Panther film was created in 1963.
Tim Clary/AP Photo
An estimated 1.8 million people attended the chilly parade.
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The first "Clifford" story was published in 1963 by Norman Bridwell.
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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.
Bebeto Matthews/AP Photo
"The Simpsons" remains the longest-running scripted sitcom in television history.
Stringer/Getty Images
The singers wore red sweaters with white scarves as they waved American flags.
Stringer/Reuters
A billboard for the Tony Award-winning musical "Kiss of the Spider Woman" can be seen in the background.
Jeff Christensen/Reuters
There are eight "Beethoven" movies in total.
Jeff Christensen/Reuters
She was sitting on a crescent moon again.
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.
Adam Nadel/AP Photo
"Rugrats" characters Chuckie and Tommy rode their dog Spike in the 1998 parade.
Jeff Christensen/Reuters
The Ask Jeeves float was accompanied by Miss America winner Heather French.
Craig Blankenhorn/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
The animated children's series "Arthur" aired from 1996 to 2022.
Chris Hondros/Getty Images
Members of the New York City fire department carried an American flag.
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.
Matthew Peyton/Getty Images
The band released the singles "Addicted" and "Perfect" in 2003.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
Performers followed the parade route on stilts and unicycles.
Jeff Christensen/AP Photo
The "Peanuts" character chased after his football.
Stephen Chernin/Getty Images
The Big Bird balloon sank to the ground due to inclement weather.
Hiroko Masuike/Getty Images
The third "Shrek" movie, "Shrek the Third," came out in 2007.
Yana Paskova/Getty Images
Cyrus appeared on a float for the 2008 animated Disney movie "Bolt," in which she was the voice of Penny.
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."
Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
Cosgrove voices Margo in the "Despicable Me" franchise.
Michael Nagle/Getty Images
Spider-Man followed closely in the background.
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.
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.
Brad Barket/Getty Images
In "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," which was released in 2014, the titular character was played by Andrew Garfield.
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.
Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images
Marching band drums marked Macy's 90th parade.
Noam Galai/Getty Images for Saban Brands
The balloon handlers wore matching red outfits.
Atilgan Ozdil/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Perhaps SpongeBob was paying tribute to the original "Christmas Parade."
Ralph Bavaro/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
"Frozen 2" came out in 2019.
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.
Eric Liebowitz/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
Broadway performances have been a parade staple for decades.
Cara Howe/Contributor/NBC via Getty Images
In 2022, NBC's Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker were part of the show.
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According to Macy's, each blade on Pikachu and Eevee's Poké Ball sleigh is about the same length as a semi-trailer truck.
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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.
