Makayla White
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade of the 1980s was a grand celebration of the decade’s biggest pop culture icons. As the event was broadcast into more homes than ever before, its lineup of giant balloons, floats, and performers reflected the characters and stars that defined the era.
The Decade’s Biggest Stars Take Flight
The 1980s saw the debut of some of the parade’s most beloved and enduring character balloons. In 1982, Olive Oyl, along with her baby Swee’Pea, joined her longtime partner Popeye, floating down the streets of Manhattan. Two years later, one of the decade’s most popular comic strip characters, Garfield the cat, made his first appearance as a giant helium balloon.
Other characters that defined 80s cartoons also took to the sky. The Smurfs, whose show was a Saturday morning staple, were honored with their own balloon. This focus on contemporary, popular characters ensured that the children watching the parade from the sidewalks and at home saw their current favorites represented on a massive scale.
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The Broadway Megamusical Showcase
The 1980s was the era of the Broadway “megamusical,” and the parade became the ultimate promotional stage for these blockbuster shows. The casts of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sensational hits, “Cats” and “The Phantom of the Opera,” performed numbers in full costume for the national television audience.
These performances were major events within the parade itself. Viewers across the country got a free glimpse of the elaborate costumes and memorable songs that made these shows international phenomena. The appearance of the cast of “Les Misérables” on a revolutionary-themed float further cemented the parade’s connection to the biggest hits in live theater.
Mishaps and New Designs
The decade also had its share of memorable mishaps. During the 1986 parade, the Raggedy Ann balloon crashed into a lamppost near Times Square, tearing a large hole in its side and causing it to deflate over the crowd. These incidents highlighted the immense skill required by the hundreds of volunteer handlers to navigate the giant balloons through the city’s narrow streets.
In 1985, a new type of parade element was introduced: the “balloonicle.” This creation was a hybrid of a cold-air balloon and a self-propelled vehicle. The first one featured the character of the Cabbage Patch Kids, one of the decade’s biggest toy crazes.
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