The 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is returning this week, and while we’re always excited to see which brand-new balloons will float down the route, it’s just as fun to rewind nearly a century and revisit how it all started.
From Felix the Cat making history as the first-ever balloon in the parade to more modern creations like Tim Burton’s B., these throwback photos capture the evolution of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade over the last 98 years.
1920s Balloons
Felix the Cat, circa 1927
Felix the Cat was the first ever balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!
Happy Dragon, circa 1927
Daschund, circa 1929
1930s Balloons
Mickey Mouse, circa 1934
Eddie Cantor, circa 1934
Eddie Cantor was the first ever balloon based on a real person.
1940s Balloons
Santa, circa 1940
Harold the Baseball Player, circa 1946
Macy’s Elf, circa 1947
Uncle Sam, circa 1940s
Happy Hippo, circa 1940s
1960s Balloons
Bullwinkle, circa 1961
Donald Duck, circa 1962
Underdog, circa 1965
Superman, circa 1966
Flying Ace Snoopy, circa 1968
1970s Balloons
Kermit the Frog, circa 1977
1980s Balloons
Woody Woodpecker, circa 1982
Raggedy Ann, circa 1984
Betty Boop, circa 1985
Pink Panther, circa 1988
1990s Balloons
Clifford, circa 1990
Spider Man, circa 1991
This was the first appearance of the iconic superhero.
2000s Balloons
Bandleader Mickey Mouse, circa 2000
Big Bird, circa 2001
Kermit The Frog, circa 2002
Humpty Dumpty, circa 2005
Humpty Dumpty was the first Blue Sky Gallery Series Balloon.
Rabbit, circa 2007
Figure with Heart by Keith Haring, circa 2008
Kaikai and Kiki, circa 2010
Tim Burton’s B., circa 2011
Companion by KAWS, circa 2012
See related: Best Things To Do On Thanksgiving In NYC This Year