Eye-Opening Behind-The-Scenes Facts About Macy’s Famous Thanksgiving Day Parade

The smell of turkey roasting in the oven, the sight of stuffing bubbling on the stovetop, and the sounds of New York City marching bands coming from the TV. Nothing says "Thanksgiving" more than Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! Yes, sir, Macy's knows how to throw a celebration, for sure. But how much do you really know about one of the greatest spectacles of each year? Well, here are some behind-the-scenes facts for you to gobble down along with your turkey!

You need to hit a certain weight to hold those balloons

To volunteer to hold one of the balloons in the parade, each balloon handler has to be in good shape and weigh at least 120 pounds. Those balloons, after all, contain about 12,000 cubic feet of helium. That's heavy! There's a reason each balloon has about 90 people guiding them along the 2.5-mile-long parade route.

Not everybody is a fan

In 1926 the Allied Patriotic Societies actually protested against Macy's for holding the event on Thanksgiving and interfering with Thanksgiving Day worship. The group threatened to go to the police and have Macy's permit revoked if they didn't make changes. A Macy's representative argued that the parade would be over in plenty of time to allow people to get to church. The parade went ahead as scheduled.

Disney debuted in the 1930s

Mickey Mouse made his parade debut in 1934. Walt Disney collaborated with Macy's to design the 40-foot-by-23-foot balloon. To stay grounded, Mickey needed to be handled by 25 balloon attendants throughout the procession. There have been seven versions of Mickey Mouse balloons at the parade in total — as well as countless other Disney characters.

It takes a lot of planning

Flying massive balloons takes a lot more coordination and responsibility than you might think. Each balloon has its own pilot and captain, who is trained by Macy's. They walk backward for the duration of the parade as they direct the crew of volunteers holding the guide ropes. The guide handles are called "bones," by the way.

Helium is in short supply — but Macy's isn't to blame

You may have read that there is a global shortage of helium. In October 2022, for example, NBC reported that doctors are particularly concerned about the supply of the gas, as it is used to power MRI machines, among other essential medical equipment. This might make it seem as if Macy's is wasting helium in its parade. But to put it in context, the 400,000 cubic feet of helium used by Macy's every year would only power two MRI machines.

You need to train to be a balloon handler

“There were some people who weren’t able to keep up during the training,” handler Suzanne Lippe told Women's Health in 2015. “The hardest part was coordinating all of it simultaneously," she added. "The walking, knowing when to run, navigating the ropes—you have to be aware of everything at once.”

Millions of people watch the parade in the streets

In 2021 the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade brought in 25.4 million television viewers for NBC. That's on top of the estimated 2.5 million people who lined the streets of New York City to witness the spectacle in person. There were about 6,500 participants, including cheerleaders, dancers, clowns, marching bands, performance groups, and balloon handlers.

Those clowns are volunteers — but they've been trained by the best

The parade draws in a huge crowd of as many as 900 clowns to participate every year. But while these folks are all volunteers, Macy's still takes the time to teach them how to clown around like a pro. Macy's "Clown U" apparently begins on the second Saturday in November and is led by the Big Apple Circus.

It takes time to fill those balloons

It takes about 90 minutes to fill up a parade balloon with helium and prep the balloon for the parade. But the balloons can be deflated in about 15 minutes. Balloon handlers just unzip the zippers and let the helium escape. Then, once most of it is out, they'll lay on it and roll up the balloon to get the rest of the helium out.

The police presence is important

New York City deploys over 3,000 police officers to protect the volunteers, spectators, sponsors, and performers at the parade. They are also responsible for crowd control once the festivities are over, too. This is, of course, in addition to the NYPD's marching band and its Highway Patrol Motorcycle Unit that participate in the actual parade.

Macy's parade was by no means the first Thanksgiving parade

Macy's may host the most popular Thanksgiving parade — but it can't claim to have invented the art form. Philadelphia’s The Gimbel Brothers Department Store in Philadelphia had a similar march in 1920, for example, and Detroit's J.L. Hudson’s Department Store scheduled one for 1924. Bamberger's store held one closer to home, in Newark, in 1921, too. The first Thanksgiving Day Parade from Macy's came in 1924.

The balloons came later

The first character balloons to make an appearance in a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade came in 1927. According to The New York Times, these balloon pals included a 21-foot-tall behemoth-like creature, a 60-foot-long dinosaur with a crew of prehistoric cavemen, and a gaggle of turkeys, chickens, and ducks. Felix the Cat put in an appearance then, too.

It hasn't been on every single year

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was canceled from 1942 to 1944 because of World War II. The war efforts took precedence over the nation's supplies, of course, and there was not enough rubber and helium to put on the parade for those two years. The parade was also put on for TV audiences only in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There used to be a thing called "balloon races"

In the very first years of the parade, the organizers simply released a handful of the balloons used in the parade into the air. The balloons had been fitted with released valves that would let them slowly deflate as they floated out into the world. Then, if a member of the public found the deflated balloon, they would be able to take it back to Macy's in exchange for $100. This happened until 1933.

Helium is key to the event — and once almost brought it to a halt

In 1958 the Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons were very nearly stopped from taking flight due to a helium shortage. But the brains behind the Macy's march were undeterred. They concocted a scheme that first involved vacuum cleaners blowing regular air into a balloon. The balloon was then hoisted up by cranes and held aloft during the parade.

There have been a few incidents along the way

Even when the balloons are cleared to fly, the wind is still an issue that needs to be monitored. In 1993 a Sonic the Hedgehog balloon hit a lamppost and the debris ended up injuring a pedestrian. But arguably the worst incident came four years later when damage caused by a Cat in the Hat balloon put bystander Kathleen Caronna into a 24-day coma. Caronna settled a resulting lawsuit against Macy's in 2001.

There's a lot of work involved

Macy’s Parade Studio is a 72,000-square-foot building located in Moonachie, New Jersey. And according to the department store, there are over 30 artists toiling away all year to bring you the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The company estimates that people put more than 50,000 hours of manual labor into each production. They are making 4,200 costumes, after all!

The route hasn't always been the same

In 2022 the parade will start at West 77th Street & Central Park West at 9:00 a.m. It'll then make its way around Central Park to Macy’s Herald Square at 12:00 p.m. But this hasn't always been the route. In fact, Time reported that the first parade involved Macy's employees marching "six miles, from Harlem to Herald's Square, dressed as clowns, knights, and cowboys."

It's a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

Debuting in 1968, one Peanuts character now holds the title of most parade appearances. But unfortunately for Charlie Brown, that character is Snoopy. There have been at least eight different Snoopy balloons over the years, and he's been on show during 41 different parades. And in 2022, the Snoopy the Astronaut balloon will mark the famous beagle's 42nd appearance at a Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Megabucks are involved

A production this big is unsurprisingly expensive. CBS reported in 2019 that the parade itself costs between $11.6 million and $13.4 million each year. That includes over $500,000 in helium costs alone. CBS also revealed that companies hoping to sponsor a newly built balloon in the parade will have to shell out "a seriously pricey construction and parade fee" of around $200,000 per balloon.

It was originally a Christmas parade

While the march is now known as the Thanksgiving Day Parade, it actually started in 1924 as a celebration of Christmas. Or, at least, as a way to get people to shop at the expanded Macy's store for Christmas that year! The New York Times reported how Santa Claus "was crowned 'King of the Kiddies' on the marquee above the entrance to Macy's new store in Thirty-fourth Street near Seventh Avenue." The parade ends in a different way these days, of course — with us settling in to watch the National Dog Show...

The dogs use treadmills

Have you ever wondered how the dogs manage to look so elegant when strutting around the floor? Well, dog handlers and trainers set up little treadmills made specifically for pooches in order to teach them the perfect stride. The treadmill helps them maintain the right pace that will have them padding to perfection in the winner's circle come showtime.

They have a strange use for soup cans

The stance of each canine is crucial in shows. In the past, trainers would teach the dogs to stand on soup cans a certain length apart. The idea is simple — just set the cans the required distance apart, and get your pup to step on up. That second part may be trickier to achieve, but the payoff is one sharp stance. Nowadays, many use wooden blocks or other markers to teach them where to stand.

The handlers have nifty grooming tricks

The grooming stations are essential to the backstage area at any dog show. Many groomers use weird hacks to keep the puppies' coats fresh, like using dryer sheets or even chalk to maintain smooth fur. According to the experts at the American Kennel Club, it's essential that white dogs' fur is handled with care. Apparently, West Highland White Terrier's fur is especially susceptible to colored shampoos. Yup, go for a clear product if you want to avoid them coming out of their wash stained purple!

Best in Show doesn't have the best prize

It may surprise you to learn that the winner of Best in Show doesn't actually win any money. The prize is pride, and pride alone. For those in the dog show world, the idea of being a champion is more than enough — no massive paycheck is necessary.

Puppy porta-potties are a thing

There are times when the dogs are forced to be indoors for many hours at a time, unable to go outside and do their business. In these cases, makeshift puppy porta-potties are set up for the participants. As you may have guessed, we're not talking about a plastic cubicle like we two-legged creatures would use. Instead, fenced-off areas are set up with absorbent material to catch any spills.

The dogs are divas

During showtime, the dogs basically get whatever they want. When the spotlight is on them, simple dog treats just won't do. One handler even said she provides filet mignon for her dogs during the show. But let's be honest, any dog would transform into a show pooch if there was steak on the treat menu!

The shows are unnatural

Many handlers have commented on the unnatural nature of dog shows. Naturally, if you stuck a bunch of dogs in a ring, there'd be chaos to contend with. The only reason these animals are so sophisticated and trotting in circles under hot light is because of extensive training. Handlers aim to make it fun for the dog, hence the filet mignon.

The judges have a special marking system

The intimidating dog show judges are extremely analytical. They objectively assess every breed from head to toe, but at the end of the day, Best in Show often has an intangible quality. Judges have cited a certain "je ne sais quoi" as part of the judging system. So even if your dog's claws are filed to perfection, if they don't got it, they don't got it. Too bad!

The dogs have celebrity-style entourages

Since these dogs are basically celebrities, they never show up inconspicuously. Dog entourages are very much a thing and can consist of up to 12 people, each responsible for something different. Groomers, handlers, and owners all play a specific role in the event's proceedings. And quite frankly, it sounds like it would be exhausting.

There's a reason the handlers spray their dogs

What you don't see on camera are the dogs waiting around under the hot lights for their time to shine, sometimes for seriously long periods of time. Dogs are well-known for not being able to regulate their temperatures very well, and so the intensity can make them overheat. To combat this, handlers usually have spray bottles of water on hand to keep them cool.

The dogs have their own hype tracks

If you're watching the dog show from home, you can't hear the hype music that plays for each group, but it's there. Much like athletes before a game, each category of dog gets its own entrance music — from Elvis to Post Malone, these dogs know how to get pumped up before a performance.

"Benched" shows draw in huge crowds

"Benched" shows are actually a dream come true for the dog-adoring public. Every dog is required to be at their assigned "bench" for the entire day, during which the public can buy a ticket to come and interact with the different pups before actual show time! You don't need to ask us twice. Which way to the dachshund bench?

They're trained to be chill

It's not puppy yoga to thank for a hall of tranquil pups. All the dogs participating in the show receive rigorous training to be able to keep their cool behind the scenes. That's what makes the benched shows so successful: these dogs can interact with the public like seasoned politicians. From a young age, they desensitize the dogs to loud noises and distractions.

The handlers must follow specific driving protocol

Handlers can only be handlers if their vehicle passes a rigorous inspection first. In case of emergency, they are required to have a generator, A/C, water, and in-date fire extinguishers onboard. This is so that in the event of a disaster, they would be able to keep their dog safe. Pooch safety is clearly a top priority, and we're glad to hear it!

There's one major rule

It may seem obvious, but there is one thing that will get any dog disqualified from participation no matter their star power. If a dog bites another dog or any human, then their show days are over. And no, muzzles are not an option — can you imagine what that would look like on the floor?!

The handlers clothes are strategically chosen

The outfits you see handlers wearing are no accident. They make strategic choices, never wanting to overshadow the dog they're showing. And of course, practical footwear is a must if you want to maintain the perfect trot during the show. In fact, there are a few rules of thumb the handlers should follow: never wear the same color as your dog's coat, avoid dangly jewelry, and make sure your hem and necklines pass the 'bend down' test.

There's a superstitious side

Dog handlers can be superstitious when it comes to their routines and accessories. Some handlers are known to use the same leash every year because they see it as "lucky" or conversely, they never use the same leash twice because it's bad luck. If plans change without warning, tensions, as you might expect, can run high.

Being a handler can take it's toll

The circuit isn't easy on the handler, either. Many career dog handlers complain of hip and knee problems due to the grueling schedule and physical demands during the show season. With non-stop parading and hours of practice, it's no wonder they're complaining about such issues. Luckily, most of them claim it's 100% worth it, though.

The shows are the perfect place to try before you buy

When it comes to picking your next pooch, benched shows can be an awesome resource. Getting to interact with so many different breeds and experts can be a real help when trying to figure out which dog has the right set of traits to match up with your lifestyle.

There are hundreds of breeds to choose from

Although there are over 300 dog breeds around the world, but the American Kennel Club only recognizes 199 of them at the time of writing. In 2019, for example, the AKC added the regal West African Azawakh to their list. Their site states that the long-legged canines are independent, loyal, and deeply affectionate. Not all dogs are made equal, however, and some are certainly smarter than others. In fact, there are 20 breeds who've made the cut...