Macy's Isn't The Longest Running Parade!

Macy's Thanksgiving day parade is perhaps the most well known parade due to it's longevity and being broadcast but it is neither the only parade nor the oldest parade.  The oldest parade is the 6ABC Dunkin' Donuts parade in Philadelphia.

This parade began back in 1920 as the Gimbels Thanksgiving day parade.  The very first parade began as an advertising ploy in which one of the owner's of the store had over 50 employees dress up in costumes, walked or rode down Market Street to garner attention for the store's Toyland. Santa Claus rode in the last car and when he arrived at Gimbel's, he climbed up a fire ladder to the 8th floor of the building which housed the toy section.

Apparently, the first few parades were low key until Macy's and one other grabbed the headlines in 1924.  This caused Gimbles to beef up the parade, advertise it as having 1500 people, 500 clowns, 12 bands, 60 horses, 21 ponies, 20 floats, and Santa Claus with 12 live reindeer.  The parade continued to grow and it didn't stop for World War II but Gimbels fell on hard time and sold the stores off in 1986. The parade has undergone numerous name changes depending on who sponsored it but now it is sponsored by 6ABC (the local television station) and Dunk'in Donuts.  The local television station has been broadcasting the parade nationally since 1966

There is another long running Thanksgiving day parade many of us have never heard of but it's been around since 1924, the same year as Macy's.  This one, America's Thanksgiving Day parade, began in Detroit, Michigan.  It was sponsored by J.L. Hudson's, a well known department store in downtown and the first parade traveled down Woodward Avenue with several horses pulling a float with Mother Goose, seven marching bands, and four large paper mâché heads.  Over the years, the parade has grown so it now covers a two mile parade route and includes local business and community leaders who dress as clowns who distribute candy to children along the parade route.

They began televising the parade locally in 1948, eventually broadcasting nationally. Unfortunately, the J.L. Hudson company had to give up sponsorship of the parade in 1976, four years before it went out of business but various corporations have stepped in to help continue supporting this event including the Parade company who helps organize it.

The longest running seasonal parade happens the day after Thanksgiving in Peoria Illinois.  Although there is some question as to when it actually started, it is agreed that it started before 1900.  There is a reference to a parade of boats coming down the river to support a new bridge in 1887 but details are a bit sketchy.  There are other references to a store starting the parade in 1889 but again the store's advertising is not sure of the first year but there is proof a a parade with Santa Claus by 1895.

In 1895, at least three department stores fought for the children's attention by each having their own parade complete with Santa.  One claimed all the previous Santa's were his sons and grandsons and the real one would appear on December 10th at their store while another claimed that Santa had spent three weeks in their store.  Then the third group, had a handwritten telegram from the "real" Santa urging people to visit him.  A fourth store had Santa arrive on the "Toytown Express" at the rail station  where he took a horse drawn carriage escorted by police and a marching band to their store. Over the years, it has expanded but is still considered the longest running parade.

So now you know a bit more about some of the longest running parades that happen over Thanksgiving weekend.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.