Frederick Victor
The ticker-tape parade is a unique New York City tradition, a celebration reserved for significant achievements and historic figures. These parades travel north on Broadway in Lower Manhattan, from the Battery to City Hall. The route is famously known as the “Canyon of Heroes” because of the tall buildings that line the street, creating a canyon-like effect.
A Spontaneous Beginning
The first ticker-tape parade was not planned. It happened on October 28, 1886, during the city’s celebration for the dedication of the Statue of Liberty. As the parade passed through the Financial District, workers in the office buildings along Broadway spontaneously began throwing streams of paper out of their windows.
This paper was actual ticker tape, a narrow, one-inch-wide ribbon of paper used by stock ticker machines to transmit financial quotes. Since the machines produced long strips of used tape throughout the day, offices had a large amount of this paper waste readily available. The impromptu shower of paper created a memorable spectacle, and a new tradition was born.
Read more
Honoring History’s Figures
Throughout the 20th century, a ticker-tape parade became the city’s highest honor. The celebrations marked triumphant moments and welcomed heroes home. In 1927, aviator Charles Lindbergh received one of the largest parades after completing the first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. An estimated four million people lined the streets.
The city also honored military leaders like General Dwight D. Eisenhower after World War II and General Douglas MacArthur in 1951. Astronauts were frequent honorees, with massive parades for John Glenn in 1962 after he orbited the Earth and for the Apollo 11 crew in 1969 after they returned from the moon. Champion sports teams, such as the 1969 “Miracle Mets” and numerous New York Yankees teams, have also been celebrated along the route.
From Tape to Shredded Paper
As technology changed, the stock ticker machine became obsolete in the 1960s. This meant that authentic ticker tape was no longer available for parades. The tradition continued, but the material changed. Today, the “ticker tape” that rains down on the Canyon of Heroes is made of shredded office paper, confetti, and sometimes whole rolls of toilet paper.
The cleanup after these modern parades is a major operation. After the parade for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team in 2019, the New York City Department of Sanitation had to clear over a ton of paper from the streets. Along the sidewalks of the Canyon of Heroes, more than 200 black granite plaques are embedded in the pavement, each one commemorating a past honoree and marking their place in the city’s history.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings