Macy’s has organized the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City since 1924.
The first parade took place on Thanksgiving Day in 1924 and was created to promote Macy’s holiday shopping season. It featured floats, performers, animals from the Central Park Zoo, and employees dressed as characters. The event ended at Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square.
Large character balloons became a defining feature in later editions, helping distinguish the parade from ordinary retail promotions. The event was suspended during World War II from 1942 through 1946 because rubber and helium were needed for the war effort. It returned in 1947 and became a nationally televised tradition.