NOVEMBER
27,
2004 --
It
is something of a New York tradition to come out for the inflating
of the balloons in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The
Sunday night before the parade, LPR
noticed workers preparing Broadway, in front of Macy's, for the
TV cameras.
Returning the following two nights, LPR attended rehearsals at
this spot at
parade's end. While the painting of the roadway drew little notice,
crowds gathered for the rehearsals, suggesting yet another parade
preparation tradition.
LPR caught sight of parade executuive producer Robin Hall in
front of Macy's about 36 hours before he cut the ribbon to start
the
parade, with NBC's Al Roker reporting from the scene.
Monday night, parade entertainers LPR spotted at rehearsals included
Radio City's Rockettes. Tuesday night, LPR
caught sight of Peter Cetera at the rehearsal (prompting the
thought--what if his first initials were E.T.?).
Rain did not keep onlookers from balloon- inflating the afternoon and evening
before the parade. LPR below posts a photo of Barney, resting , Wednesday evening,
for his parade jaunt.
LPR got a photo of Wiggle Worm getting helium for its wiggle down the parade route
next day.
The rain paused for the parade which enjoyed intermittent sunshine -- and mild
temperatures throughout.
The ten high school bands listed for this 78th Macy's
Thanksgiving Day Parade included Marietta, Georgia's Marching Trojan Band from
Lassiter High School, shown below before, as well as during, the
parade. Also participating were the Baker High School Marching Band from Mobile,
Alabama; the Mayfield High School Marching Band School from Las Cruces, New Mexico;
the Highland High School Marching Band from Gilbert, Arizona; the Raider Marching
Band from Warren G. Harding High School, Warren, Ohio; St. Augustine High School,
New Orleans.
Other bands LPR caught sight of in this year's parade included the Riverview High
School Kiltie Band, Sarasota, Florida, the
Northstar Band from Waukesha (Wis.) North High School and the Viking Marching
Band from Corning-Painted Post
High School, Painted Post, New York.
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Also
listed in the program was the Marching Indian Band, from Dobyns-Bennett
High
School, Kingsport, Tennessee.
Just before the parade got underway, LPR heard some shouts of enthusiasm, apparently
caused by Ryan Cabrera who posed with some of the bands. (LPR also shows him
holding
guitar, on one of the parade floats).
Another celebrity caught by the LPR camera was Jose Feliciano.
The
accompanying photos also show the Spongebob Squarepants balloon,
and Kermit the Frog heading down Central Park West. Also shown
are Miss USA Shandi Finnessey (who appeared in LPR last spring
outside Yankee Stadium), two young girls who asked to be photographed,
others near the start of the parade at 77th Street (including people
watching from a ledge at the entrance to Central Park apartment
building -- and,
of course, Santa Claus.
The parade press kit (provided to LPR by the gracious Deanne Williams, publicity
manager (whose
photo
is shown above Santa Claus below,) notes that the first Macy's
Thanksgiving
Day
Parade
was
held
in 1924
(when
it was called "Macy's Christmas Day Parade."
The original route went from 145th Street and Convent Avenue to Herald Square.
The first helium balloons, including Felix the Cat and The Dragon, appeared in
1927, replacing the live bears, lions and tigers of 1925 and 1926 that scared
children. The parade was not held from 1942 to 1944 because of World War II.
Robin Hall told LPR that this is his fourth year as executive producer.
The mayor visited the balloon-inflating, as is his custom and was overheard to
say that Charlie Brown is his favorite balloon. Charlie and his football were
in the parade, along with Big Bird, Chicken Little, Clifford the Red Dog, Garfield,
Jeeves, Mr. Monopoly, among others. Spiderman apparently is on sabbatical.
Recognize anyone in these parade photos? Let LPR know by sending us an e-mail..
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~ Parade Images for 2004 ~ |
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The
Rockettes rehearse for the big event.
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Robin
Hall
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| Baker
High School Marching Band from Mobile,
Alabama |
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Mayfield
High School Marching Band School from Las Cruces, New Mexico.
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Miss
USA Shandi Finnessey.
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Towpath
Volunteers Fife and Drum
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| Raider
Marching Band from Warren G. Harding High School, Warren,
Ohio. |
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Deanna
Williams.
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The
opening ceremonies with Al Roker reporting.
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Peter
Cetera during the parade.
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Peter
Cetera at Herald Square.
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Jose
Feliciano
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Georgia's
Marching Trojan Band from
Lassiter High School.
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Georgia's
Marching Trojan Band from
Lassiter High School pre-parade.
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NYPD
Marching Band.
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Ryan
Cabrera
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Ryan
Cabrera pre-parade.
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St.
Augustine High School,
New Orleans, Louisiana.
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