Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The parade was first broadcasted on the radio in 1932 as listeners used their imagination to picture the huge floats making their way down the street.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is returning once again as one of the holiday’s biggest celebrations.

Many may not know this, but the beloved tradition actually started off as a Christmas parade. It was the celebration employees of Macy’s organized in 1924 with the parade concluding with Santa Claus and the unveiling of the store’s christmas window. Three years later, it was renamed for Thanksgiving.

Well-known characters in the form of balloons have been apart of the tradition since 1927. They were originally allowed to float away after the parade and anyone who found them would get a gift certificate from Macy’s.

The parade was first broadcasted on the radio in 1932 as listeners used their imagination to picture the huge floats making their way down the street. It was first televised in 1946 in New York then nationally the next year.

This year’s parade will be the 97th event and it is set for Thursday from 8:30am-noon.

Make sure to look for the St. James High School Dance Team, they will be in it representing the Grand Strand!