The first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade took place in New York City and it marked the beginning of a major American holiday tradition. Macy’s created the event after expanding its Herald Square flagship store, which had become one of the largest retail locations in the city. Company leaders wanted a public celebration that would draw attention to the store’s holiday season and invite shoppers into the newly enlarged space. Many employees supported the idea because they had grown up with lively street parades in their home countries. Their enthusiasm helped shape the character of the first procession and gave the event a strong foundation.
The parade began early in the morning at 145th Street and Convent Avenue. A police escort guided the participants south along the Manhattan route. Macy’s employees marched in bright costumes that added color and movement to the event. Professional entertainers joined them to give the parade a theatrical atmosphere. The procession also included live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo. Elephants, lions, camels, and bears walked alongside the performers. These animals created vivid scenes for spectators and brought a sense of excitement that made the parade feel different from other public gatherings in the city.
Crowds lined the sidewalks in large numbers. Reports from the period estimated that more than 250,000 people watched the parade. For an event created by a single department store, the turnout showed clear public interest and signaled the possibility of making the parade an annual tradition. As the procession moved through Harlem and continued toward Midtown, its music, costumes, and animals captured the attention of families and visitors. The parade reached its conclusion at Herald Square, where spectators saw Santa Claus arrive at the front of the Macy’s store. Macy’s presented Santa as “King of the Kiddies,” which helped link the parade to Christmas and encouraged families to view the event as the beginning of the holiday shopping season.
Although the parade took place on Thanksgiving Day, Macy’s called it the “Macy’s Christmas Parade.” The company kept that name for three years. The decision reflected a clear marketing purpose. Macy’s wanted the parade to signal the transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas and prompt customers to enter the store once the procession ended. This strategy worked. Newspaper accounts reported busy sales activity at Macy’s after the event, and the company recognized the parade as an effective way to build early holiday momentum.
The parade also represented the cultural diversity of New York City in the 1920s. Many Macy’s employees were immigrants or first-generation Americans, and they brought knowledge of festival traditions from their countries of origin. Their ideas influenced the design of the costumes, the tone of the music, and the general spirit of the celebration. The 1924 parade displayed a combination of American holiday themes and the festive customs of the people who worked at the store. This blend gave the parade a strong sense of community and helped it connect with a wide range of spectators.
While the live animals created memorable scenes, they also required careful supervision. Their presence added unpredictability, especially in crowded streets. Within a few years, Macy’s replaced the animals with large helium balloons, beginning in 1927. Balloons allowed the parade to produce striking visual moments with greater safety and consistency. Even so, the animals from 1924 remain an important part of the parade’s early identity and show how Macy’s relied on spectacle to create excitement during the first event.
The success of the parade influenced holiday promotions across the country. Retailers realized that public celebrations could shape consumer interest and create emotional connections with shoppers. Macy’s demonstrated that a parade could become more than an advertisement. It could become a civic event that encouraged people to gather, celebrate, and participate in a shared holiday tradition. The 1924 parade helped define Thanksgiving as a moment that blends gratitude, entertainment, and anticipation for the coming Christmas season.
The first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade set the foundation for a tradition that continues today. While the modern parade features balloons, floats, television broadcasts, and celebrity performers, the core idea from 1924 remains present. The original event used music, costumes, and public enthusiasm to create a sense of unity. It turned a promotional idea into a lasting cultural moment. The parade’s beginning showed how a simple gathering could grow into an annual ritual that shapes how Americans welcome the holiday season each year.
References / More Knowledge:
History.com. “The First Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.” https://www.history.com/articles/the-first-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade
I Love NY. “History of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.” https://www.iloveny.com/blog/post/history-of-the-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade
Library of Congress. “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.” https://guides.loc.gov/this-month-in-business-history/november/macys-thanksgiving-parade
History Factory. “Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade.” https://www.historyfactory.com/insights/macys-day-parade
Baruch College NYCdata. “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.” https://www.baruch.cuny.edu/nycdata/uniquely_nyc/macys-thanksgiving.htm