These vintage Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons offer a delightful glimpse into pop culture past

Read up on the quaint and curious stories behind Captain Nemo, Felix the Cat, and more

Thanksgiving parade balloons
(Image credit: (Underwood & Underwood/Corbis))

Today, more than 3.5 million people will cram along New York City's streets to get a glimpse of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. First held on Nov. 27, 1924, the relatively small event was called the Macy's Christmas Parade, and it featured the store's employees, live animals, and a couple thousand spectators. Renamed the Thanksgiving Parade in 1927, the spectacle has evolved over the decades into today's massive, televised event, featuring Broadway acts, movie stars, and gigantic, colorful balloons.

Beginning with Felix the Cat in 1927, those parade balloons have reflected the changing tastes and trends of the national zeitgeist. While characters such as Spider-Man and SpongeBob SquarePants are well known to parade-goers today, the balloons that came before were just as instantly recognizable to the throngs that lined the street in the early 20th century.

Some of those characters, such as Superman, have stood the test of time, while others, like the genie from 1924 silent film The Thief of Bagdad, have faded from memory. What they all share are fascinating back stories.

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Sarah Eberspacher

Sarah Eberspacher is an associate editor at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked as a sports reporter at The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and The Arizona Republic. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.