The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a holiday tradition that has held strong and beloved for eighty-eight years now, featuring iconic balloons and floats as well as memorable performances. The 88^th parade followed a route down Center Park West, down 6^th Street, and ending at Macy’s Herald Square.

This year’s parade had over fifteen iconic giant balloons. The balloons included icons such as Snoopy and Woodstock, who is on his 35^th year and 7^th version, the main character from the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series, which needed ninety handlers, Thomas the Train, the heaviest balloon in the event, Toothless from “How to Train Your Dragons,” Spider-Man, one of the top selling comic book characters, and, of course, Pikachu, the mascot of the Pokémon Franchise, who now as a more wintry look to him with a green scarf and a mini snow Pikachu in his paws. Other balloons were the Kool-Aide Man, which, to fill an actually pitcher of that size, would need 11,000 gallons, and the Pillsbury Dough Boy.

There were many performances held at the Square, such as the performance from ABC’s upcoming “Peter Pan Live!” show with the song “I Won’t Grow Up” and several from upcoming Broadway shows. Marching bands, both college and high school, got the honor of performing in the parade. The marching bands included the North Carolina State University band, the largest band featured in decades, Georgia State University band, and several high school bands from around the country, including Kentucky and Texas. Several dance groups and other bands go in involved, including one salute to gaming by a dance group, and performance by bands made up of service men and women.

The parade had over twenty-five floats and several groups of walkers. Nonperforming groups included the NYPD escort and the NYFD. Floats include the famous Tom Turkey, a giant turkey leading the parade, Pilgrim Man and Pilgrim Women, annual participants, a Build-A-Bear float, several other company theme floats, a Goldfish Crackers float, on which Lucy Hale performed, a short performance by Cirque Du Soleil on their float, and a performance by NeedToBreather on another float. Kiss, yes that Kiss, performed on their own float, who Al Roker, who called them, “One for the ages.” MKTO performed their song “Classic” on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle float.  The parade ended, as usual, with the silver and gold sleigh carrying the beloved Santa Claus with his sack of toys being pulled by his team of reindeer with the elves and Mrs. Claus along for the ride.

Hope all of you got a chance to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, or at least a few minutes to catch your favorite balloons or floats or perhaps your favorite performer. Have a safe and delicious Thanksgiving, everyone.