Today is the 87th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Thousands of parade fans have braved the cold weather for a glimpse of those famous floats and brilliant balloons. Macy's has been hosting this parade for almost 90-years and it has become a New York City tradition. A history of the Macy's Parade from the official website says, "For 87 years Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has been the official kick-off to the holiday season! Every year, this Emmy Award winning tradition is seen by more than 3.5 million people."
Today's (1) lineup includes floats, marching bands, celebrity performances, clowns, performance groups and if the wind does not ground them balloons. The Macy's parade is famous for their giant character balloons and this year the parade will include famous characters Hello Kitty, Spiderman, Ronald McDonald, the Pillsbury Doughboy, Buzz Lightyear, Snoopy and Woodstock and many more. (2) Live performances include Kellie Pickler, Ariana Grande, Austin Mahone, Cher Lloyd, Gavin Degraw, Fall Out Boy as well as Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.
This year's parade is marked with some controversy involving two floats that will be rolling down Central Park West to 34th Street Herald Sq. (3) Singer Joan Jett and her band the Black Hearts were at first scheduled to perform on top of a float promoting tourism in South Dakota. Jett and her band were moved to a different float after protests were raised about Jett, a vegetarian and PETA advocate, singing on a float representing state where cattle is important to the economy.
Another set of protests are scheduled for the parade this time by the animal rights group PETA. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is planning on lining the parade in (4) protest of the SeaWorld float "A Sea of Surprises." SeaWorld has been receiving some negative press ever since the debut of the documentary "Blackfish." The film chronicles the life of a captive SeaWorld orca named Tilikum. The 12,000 pound bull orca was responsible for the death of a SeaWorld trainer in 2010. "Blackfish" seeks to discover why an animal as intelligent as the orca would harm a human.
Despite the current controversies regarding the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade the event is looking to be as popular as ever. New Yorkers and tourists will come out in hundreds to catch a glimpse of the Rockettes dancing or see scenes from their favorite Broadway plays reenacted on the street. What is your favorite part of the annual Macy's Parade? Take our poll and let us know!
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