There are a lot of Thanksgiving Day traditions all over the country. Although many people celebrate in different ways, there are some things that are shared by most residents nationwide. The smell of cooking in the house, visiting with family and friends, football on TV, and the one and only Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Two things make the parade very special this year. The first is that this is the 100-year anniversary of the parade. The three-hour parade (9 a.m. – noon) is held in Manhattan, ending outside of Macy’s department store on 34th Street.
The first parade in 1924 drew 250,000 spectators. Along with the costumes and floats, it also featured live animals from the Central Park Zoo. Three years later, in 1927, the animals had been removed from the parade and giant balloons took their place.
Now, the parade is watched by roughly 44 million people every year. In 2020, it was broadcast live internationally for the first time when it was piped in for an audience in the Philippines. The hosts over the years read like “Who’s Who in Show Biz,” including names like Gene Rayburn, Betty White, Lorne Green, Helen Reddy, Peter Marshall, Larry Hagman, Willard Scott, and the list goes on. For those who travel to Manhattan the night before, witnessing the inflating of the balloons is a fun event to attend, but it can be chilly. This is an event in and of itself. It starts around noon every year and runs until 7-8 p.m. drawing thousands of attendees.
The second thing that makes this year so special, is that of the 6,500 participants, some of our very own Holly Springs School of Dance ladies will be participating. We have told you before about this unique opportunity that the school offers, but this year, we wanted to hear from the performers to understand how they feel about being a part of this 100-year-old tradition, and what it means to them.
My name is Sophia Mills, and this will be my first time performing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! I am so excited because dance has always been my passion and being a part of people’s traditions of watching this parade at home will be so special. I have never been to New York either, so I am thrilled to be there to experience this with my friends and family. The memories and experiences from this trip I will forever remember. I know this trip will be amazing and I can’t wait for this adventure!
I’m Blythe Bishop; this is my second time performing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the first time being in 2021. Something I learned from this experience is to make the most of it because it is truly such a special and unique experience. This time around I’m looking forward to spending time with my friends and working hard for parade day!
Hi, I’m Julia Self! In 2021, I performed with Spirit of America in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. I went with my studio, Holly Springs School of Dance, and had an incredible time. My favorite moment was standing on the Macy’s star, getting ready to perform and hearing the countdown until we went live. It was so special to be able to walk the parade route and wave to people in hotels and buildings who were watching the parade from their rooms. I feel so grateful that I have the opportunity to dance in the parade again and I am so excited to start rehearsing!
I am so grateful to have the opportunity to get to perform for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! I love that I get to experience this from a different perspective, from a freshman to a senior. It is really special to be able to make connections with these dancers in such an amazing city and feel so much love and support through everyone involved.
My name is Maggie Akins and this is my first year performing in the Macy’s Parade! I am most excited to see all of the amazing sights and dance opportunities that New York City has to offer! I am so grateful, and I can’t wait to share this once-in-a-lifetime experience with new and old friends!
My name is Ava Carfano and this is going to be my first time dancing in the Macy’s Parade. I am very excited for every part of this experience. Of course, I am looking forward to dancing in the parade but I am even more excited for all the new memories I will make with my friends and family. New York is one of my favorite places to visit and I can’t wait to see it from a whole new perspective when dancing on the Macy’s star. This will be an amazing trip that I am sure I will never forget!
