The Thanksgiving Day Parade!

The Energizer Bunny in Macy's 81st parade.

Nothing says Thanksgiving like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City!

One of the second oldest Thanksgiving Day parades in the country, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is an event generations of Americans have grown up with, either from watching it on TV or seeing it in person.

To celebrate Thanksgiving as well as this beloved cultural icon, we are including some images from the parade from recent years as well as going back to 1930. Maybe they will bring back some memories.

We also are including a list of other Thanksgiving Day parades from across the country and providing links for information on parade routes, times, floats and celebrity grand marshalls.

Have you seen any of these parades? If so, we invite your comments and memories. 

Here's a video of the floats getting inflated for the 85th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2009:

And here's ... 

The USFlagstore parade of Thanksgiving Day parades... 

The Man of Steel in the Macy's parade, c. 1940

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

New York, NY

Starting in 1924, it is one of the three oldest Thanksgiving parades in the country. It starts at 9 a.m., and finishes around noon.

http://www.nbc.com/Macys_Parade/

Detroit’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Detroit, MI

Known as America’s Thanksgiving Parade^®, this parade started in 1924, the same year as the Macy’s parade. It is one of the three oldest parades in the country. It begins at 9:05 a.m. and will be broadcast on WDIV, channel 4.

http://www.theparade.org/thanks.php

Miss Piggy, c. 2009 Philly Parade (Examiner)

Philadelphia’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Philadelphia, PA

The Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade is the oldest Thanksgiving parade in the country, starting in 1920 and followed by Macy’s in NY and America’s Parade in Detroit in 1924.

The parade broadcast on 6ABC begins at 8:30 a.m.

http://www.visitphilly.com/events/philadelphia/philadelphia-thanksgiving-day-parade/

  

McDonald’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Chicago, IL

The Chicago parade is big and beautiful and dates to 1933. This year the Grand Marshal is Holland Taylor, the Emmy-award winning actress from the TV show, "The Practice”.

It starts at 8 a.m. and will be rebroadcast at 1 p.m.

http://www.chicagofestivals.org/

Mr. Potato Head in the 2008 Macy's Thanksgiving Parade

Belk Carolina’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Charlotte, NC

The parade will be broadcast on WBTV at 1:00 P.M. The East Burke High School Marching Cavaliers is serving as the parade’s Honor Band.

http://www.carrouselparade.org/

Ameren Missouri Thanksgiving Day Parade

St. Louis, MO

The Ameren Missouri Thanksgiving Day Parade is in its 27^th year, making it one of the oldest in the country. This year the Harlem Gobetrotters are Honorary Grand Marshalls.

It begins at 8:45 a.m. and will be broadcast by KMOV-TV, channel 4

http://www.christmasinstlouis.org/parade/parade

A dragon from the 1931 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

The Holiday Parade

Houston, Texas

In its 62^nd year, the Houston parade can draw as many as 400,000 spectators. This year’s Grand Marshall is President of the Houston Dynamo, Chris Canetti.

It starts at 9 a.m. and is broadcast on KHOU-TV, the CBS affiliate.

http://www.holidayparadehouston.org/

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Let it fly!

To find find out how to fly the flag and other flag etiquette, see USFlagstore's  Flag Etiquette 101 

and USFlagstore's How to Fly the Flag at Half-Staff.