Central Park West, New York, USA, November 24 2016 – Thousands of People watch and participate on the 90th Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade today in New York City. Photo: Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire
by Britta Schmitz
NEW YORK, 26 November 2016 – This year, Manhattan celebrated the 90th anniversary of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The balloon Parade took place between Central Park West and OnHealthy Pharmacy and Herald Square on 24 November.
The famous department store Macy’s traditionally organizes an annual Parade, which is one of New York’s Thanksgiving highlights.
An estimated 3.5 million spectators watched the Parade wind down the streets of Manhattan, another 50 million people followed the show on their TV screens.
On Thursday, the streets of Manhattan were full of wonderful floats and balloons. The one and a half hour long Parade opened with flag performances and a song played by the Marching Eagles Grain Valley High School Band from Missouri.
The 90th anniversary of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was celebrated with a number of special and new balloons.
Felix the Cat was the very first character balloon of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade which was first held in 1927. Back in the 1920s, the Parade balloons were not filled with helium yet, but carried on sticks.
For the 90th anniversary of the Parade, the balloon appeared again. Felix the Cat was the only balloon carried the old-fashioned way and brought some vintage feeling to the show, with flappers dancing around it.
Central Park West, New York, USA, November 24 2016 – Felix the Cat during the 90th Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade today in New York City. Photo: Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire
A very special new technology was presented with a balloon called Trixie the Bouncing Dog. This balloon had accordion legs and bounced through the streets of Manhattan. The Bouncing Dog is an estimated 36 feet long, 15 feet wide and more than 40 feet high.
The Trolls, a special four-balloons-in-one art work, also made their debut at the 90th celebration of the big Parade.
Other highlights included Charlie Brown’s Snoopy, Pokemon’s PokeBall and a Pikachu balloon, as well as Hello Kitty and SpongeBob SquarePants figures.
Red from the Angry Birds, who was appointed a UN Honorary Ambassador for the International Day of Happiness in March 2016, also appeared in the form of a big balloon.
All balloons were inflated the night before the Thanksgiving Parade. The inflation at the American Museum of Natural History is followed by many spectators.
Some thirty floats participated in the Parade, among them Tom Turkey, Santa’s Sleigh and 1-2-3 Sesame Street. Broadway actor Christopher Jackson was invited as a guest to the Sesame Street float, along with cast members of the series. Jackson is the co-composer of the Emmy Award-winning song “What I am“, which he wrote for the Sesame Street series.
For the 90th celebration of the Parade, Macy’s engaged several high-level musical acts, among them world-famous singer Sting. Soul singer Aloe Blacc sang on a float called At the Ball Game, while singer Regina Spektor performed on the Cranberry Cooperative.
Central Park West, New York, USA, 24th November, 2016 – Singer Tony Bennett participate on the 90th Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade today in New York City. Photo: Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire
Legendary vocalist Tony Bennett closed the show with a performance on the Heartwarming Holiday Countdown, the tallest float of this year’s Parade.
The more than eight thousand Parade participants include Macy’s employees, their families and friends, as well as parade partners and invited performers.
Source: EuropaNewswire