Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2012

My old friend Jed was in town for Thanksgiving weekend and wanted to see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  Here are some pics and commentary:

We arrived about 20 minutes early and walked to 70th Street and Central Park West.  The crowds were already significant.  Here are photos looking forward and backward at the crowd.



Kiddies' balloons taking flight.


The parade begins!




Hello Kitty with plane was a new balloon this year.



Pilgrims.



One thing that I've always liked about the parade is how the floats and balloons progress from autumn/Thanksgiving themes to winter/Christmas themes.



Here's the turkey!



Call me maybe?


If there's a football...


Good 'ol Charlie Brown can't be too far behind!





Next to President Obama, the yellow guy in the float pictured below is probably the happiest about the election results.


Kung Fu Panda.



The Roots - I remember them playing at Mason Day before they hit it really big.


Make way for ducklings.



Some monkey that isn't Curious George.








Spidey.



Random boy band - Macy's always busts out the C- and D-list celebrities for the parade.



Pikachu.


Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - are they still around?




Spongebob.


Shadow of Spongebob.




It's Papa Smurf - why is he holding a microphone?



Smurfette, you've still got it.



Jed enjoying the festivities.


Each year, a modern artist is tapped to design a balloon for the parade.  This year's artist was KAWS.




This one's for Sandra in Jordan - the Wimpy Kid.



The interesting thing about this caterpillar is that it is made up of individual balloons that are not attached end-to-end.



Another staple of the Macy's parade is the use of corporate mascots - here, we have the Kool-Aid Man.



Here's Mickey.







Can you find Kareem?



The U.S. Women's Gymnastics team.  I wonder if Mckayla was impressed?


Here's my man Ronald.


His balloon looks a little beat up.


Another mascot - Mr. Peanut.



And here's the Pillsbury Doughboy.


The Doughboy's had some work done - probably multiple lipos and a removal of excess skin or two.



Christmas ornament - means that the parade is ending soon.



AF-LAC!





 


To infinity...and beyond!  (He must've been referring to sequels).






Here's Virginia O'Hanlon, the little girl whose letter resulted in the famous editorial, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus".  Which she believed for about five years until her parents told her that it was Dad all along.


Great detail on the balloon - the letter is addressed.


When the elves show up...


That means that Santa can't be too far behind.


The best part was when a mom told a girl, "we're going to see him tomorrow at Target!"

Macy's marketing = epic fail.



"Merry Christmas, now start shopping!"