The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade first started on November 27, 1924, originally under the name Macy’s Christmas Parade in New York City.

Quick Scoop: Short Answer

  • The parade began in 1924 as a way for Macy’s employees to celebrate the holiday and promote the store’s new Herald Square flagship.
  • The very first event on November 27, 1924, featured floats, bands, and live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo, with Santa Claus closing the festivities.
  • It was renamed the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade a few years later but has kept Thanksgiving morning in Manhattan as its home ever since.

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