Thanksgiving Parades Quiz

Thanksgiving Parades

• Thanksgiving parades, a tradition in the US, trace their origins back to 1621, when the Plymouth Colony celebrated a successful harvest with the Wampanoag tribe, marking the birth of Thanksgiving.
• The modern Thanksgiving holiday is officially celebrated in the US on the fourth Thursday in November, incorporating parades, food, and American football.
• Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, in New York City, is considered the most famous parade, initiating in 1924 to promote Macy's as the world's largest department store.
• The parade is a century-old advertisement and a huge part of American holiday culture.

Macy's Parade Specifics

• The parade includes floats, marching bands, balloons, and a large figure of Santa Claus.
• Floats, while often themed, have faced controversy, with some floats drawing criticism.
• Marching bands, often from US universities and high schools, are a major parade component, recognized for high performance and cultural representation.
• The parade features balloons, first featuring Felix the Cat in 1927, though some balloon incidents have resulted in injuries or vehicle accidents.
• Santa Claus traditionally leads the closing segment of the parade.

Other Thanksgiving Parades

• Detroit also has a Thanksgiving parade, featuring the "Big Head Corps," a unique aspect with large papier-mâché heads of famous figures.
• Big Head traditions began in 1924 and continue today, using local craftsmen to create the unique heads.
• Historically, the Detroit parade has also included some instances of controversial themes or figures.