A Balloonicle is a Macy's original creation for the department store's annual Thanksgiving Day Parade. The term is a portmanteau of "balloon" and "vehicle", and is a cold-air inflatable maneuvered down the Parade route by a vehicle inside of the balloon figure. John Piper, former Vice President of Macy's Parade Studio, often joked about the name "balloonicle", saying "vehicloon just didn't sound right".
In 2018, the introduction of the Go Bowling and Baby DINO balloonicles marked the first time that the balloonicles were driven with a motorized wheelchair, in lieu of the normal utility vehicle and framework.
In 2022, the third Diary of a Wimpy Kid balloon was accompanied by the infamous Cheese of the Cheese Touch scandal, making it the first time a giant helium balloon would be joined by a smaller balloonicle unit.
Balloonicles Introductions[]
- Tibby, Tooey, and Bumpus by Playskool (2004)
- Snowbo by Macy's (2005)
- Energizer Bunny by Energizer/Energizer Battery, Inc. (2006)
- Kool-Aid Man by Kraft Foods/Kraft/The Kraft Heinz Company (2010)
- Blue Holiday Ornament by Macy's (2010)
- Red Holiday Ornament by Macy's (2010)
- The Aflac Duck (Sledding Design) by Aflac, Inc. (2011)
- Trixie's Dreidel by Macy's (2013)
- Cloe the Holiday Clown (3rd Version) by Universal Orlando Resort (2014)
- The Aflac Duck (Ice Skating Design) by Aflac, Inc. (2014)
- Tom Turkey by Macy's (2015, Macy's Holiday Parade exclusive)
- Mother Ginger by Universal Orlando Resort (2016)
- The Aflac Duck (Snowtube Design) by Aflac, Inc. (2017)
- Go Bowling by Go Bowling (2018)
- Baby DINOs by Sinclair Oil Corporation/HF Sinclair (2018)
- Dishmates by HEINZ (2021)
- Cheese by ABRAMS Books (2022)
- Striker, the U.S. Soccer Star by FOX Sports (2022)
Gallery of Balloonicles[]
