Results: Secrets of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is one of the biggest and most beloved seasonal events in the U.S. and a Thanksgiving tradition for generations of families. On Thursday, November 26, approximately 3.5 million spectators will watch Macy’s 89th annual Thanksgiving Day Parade wind its way from New York City’s Upper West Side to Macy’s midtown Herald Square flagship store. An estimated 50 million more will catch the procession on television. But what do we really know about the famous parade that includes 17 giant character balloons, 27 floats, 12 marching bands, 1,100 cheerleaders and dancers, and 1,000 clowns? Amy Kule, the executive producer of the parade, shares fascinating facts behind the legendary spectacle. Santa Claus riding in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. (Photo: Macy’s Parade Press) Macy’s balloons only feature the most famous characters. “You need to be able to look up in the sky and know who it is right away,” Kule tells Yahoo Parenting. “And there are no company logos or writing [allowed] — even for the Ronald McDonald balloon.” Kule says this year’s new additions have earned their places alongside the classic characters. “Everybody’s been addicted to Angry Birds for a few years now, and soon it’s going to be a movie, so Red deserves to be up there,” she says. “Meanwhile, Scrat [the squirrel] has several Ice Age movies under his belt. He’s flying with his acorn — one of the few giant balloons to fly in tandem with another one.” To date, 171 different characters have been featured in the parade.