Felix the cat balloon!

The annual 2016 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City celebrates it’s 90th anniversary. This year brings back the Felix the cat balloon, which was the first giant balloon to be part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in 1927.

Felix the cat 1927

Felix the cat

The first-ever Macy’s Day Parade actually took place on Christmas of 1924. Macy’s employees dressed as clowns, cowboys, and other fun costumes, and traveled with Central Park zoo animals and creative floats a lengthy six miles from Herald Square to Harlem in Manhattan.
The parade was meant to draw attention to the Macy’s store in NYC, and the gimmick worked – more than 250,000 people attended the inaugural Macy’s Day Parade.It was decided that this NYC parade would become an annual NY event in Manhattan.

Felix the cat balloon, Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade, 1927

In 1927, Felix the Cat became the first giant balloon to ever take part in the Macy’s Day Parade. In 1928, Felix was inflated with helium, and without a plan to deflate this massive balloon, NYC parade organizers simply let Felix fly off into the sky. Unfortunately, he popped soon thereafter.

from nyctourist.com

Felix the cat balloon replica of the original 1927 balloon, made for this year’s 2016 parade

photo by shari smith dunaif ©2016

photo by shari smith dunaif ©2016

Happy Thanksgiving to all