On November 27th, the 99th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was held in New York City for a great turnout. Markos Papadatos, who was present at the parade, has the recap.
This year’s Thanksgiving Day Parade consisted of 34 balloons, four mini-balloons, 28 floats, 33 clown groups, and 11 marching bands. It also celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Radio City Rockettes. It began in the Upper West Side of Manhattan and it ended accordingly at Macy’s in Herald Square (on 34th Street).
Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo of the “Wicked” films began the show with a performance of “Feeling Good.” Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band Foreigner sang “Cold as Ice,”
Gavin DeGraw sang “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” as a duet with Colbie Caillat.
From Broadway, the ensembles of “Buena Vista Social Club,” “Ragtime,” and “Just in Time” (starring a fabulous Jonathan Groff) performed signature numbers from these musicals.
Several world-class athletes participated in this parade, which included figure skating champion Ilia Malinin and U.S Paralympian Jack Wallace. If that weren’t enough students and alumni from LaGuardia High School were there as well as they helped celebrate 50 years of “A Chorus Line.”
All genres of music were well-represented. Meg Donnelly sang her pop song “dancin’ around,” while Ciara belted out “Low.” Russell Dickerson and Mickey Guyton threw some country in the mix with “Happen to Me” and “Joy to the World.”
Pop-folk artist Jewel sang her throwback hit “You Were Meant for Me.” The cast of “KPop Demon Hunters” performed their ubiquitous “Golden” and speaking of throwbacks, Debbie Gibson sang the infectious “Only in My Dreams” as everybody in the crowd was singing along with her.
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Darlene Love (and “Christmas Queen”) belted out her signature tune “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” which earned a raucous response. Kool & the Gang also sang their perennial anthem “Celebration.”
Rapper Busta Rhymes sang a medley of his hip-hop hits, while Matteo Bocceli showcased his operatic vocal range on “Caruso.” Lil Jon sang Turn Down for What,” his collaboration with DJ Snake. Golden Globe nominee Teyana Taylor sang “Made It.”
Faith Hill, who attended this year’s parade remarked, “Being a part of the Thanksgiving Day Parade was unforgettable. My hands were freezing and I couldn’t feel my toes, but the crowd’s energy kept me warm — especially the guy in the bright neon green shirt yelling ‘give me a point!’ His running commentary had everyone laughing and completely lifted the whole atmosphere. Moments like that are why I love sharing these experiences with my audience.”
Conclusion
Despite the chilly weather, the 99th annual Thanksgiving Day Parade was a festive and entertaining event in the heart of Manhattan. It is highly recommended that people check it out whenever they are in the area. Also, New Yorkers ought to look forward to the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade next year!
