Macy's Thanksgiving Parade
It is clear that the parades organized in the United States are a sort of development of arrangements held in Europe. In the twenties years of the previous century a lot of people who worked at Macy's department and being sons and daughters of the newcomers were proud of their American legacy decided to continue their favorite custom brought from Europe and organize a march from 145 Street down to 34th Street wearing fancy dresses of different nations and times such as clowns, cowboys, knights and sheiks.
Many beasts temporarily left there cages in the Central Park Zoo taken out by the participants of the event to make it more funny and lively. The measure was really wonderful and gathered more than 250 thousand people who wanted to see everything with their own eyes.
Big balloons having the form of Felix the Cat were used initially in 1927. There was launched the custom to make the balloons fly during even weeks and a person who managed to catch it somewhere received a surprise but now this tradition doesn't exist. Especially kids are always fond of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. The parade was turning more and more popular and in 1934 more than million people watched it.
The new heroes of Walt Disney animated films became the models for balloon producers, radio commentators informed the listeners about the splendid spectacle taking place in the city streets. There was no parades during World War II but when the victory was obtained they were restored and communicated to the TV watchers. The organizers selected new streets to march through and haven’t change them since then.
Thanks to the television millions of people have an opportunity to be the observers of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. They like to see sometimes among the crowd so famous stars as Sid Caesar, Danny Kaye and Howdy Doody. The significance of Macy’s Parade doesn't decrease at present and brave balloon riders proceed to make everybody glad seeing their flight.
President John Kennedy was murdered in 1963 just when the Parade was in its widest progress. It was a greatest tragedy for the whole country. But Macy's workers couldn't let the kids down so the event proceeded. The wind was awfully strong on the day of the Parade in 1971, so the balloons and floats couldn't be used, the TV spectators watch some pieces of information from the previous year. Snoopy, Kermit the Frog, and Superman are the beloved characters of the balloons and floats.
Both grown-ups and kids enjoy watching the parade. Such an arrangement is organized only in New York. Moving platforms on which some pieces of Broadway shows are played, big balloons of various characters from animated films and of TV celebrities and groups of high school students are the principal peculiarities of the Parade. Santa Claus’s appearance before the spectacles is the final accord of the Parade.