The Funny Firefighter Brigade, previously known as the Clown Fire Brigade, is a clown group from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
The Clown Fire Brigade made their debut in the 1987 Macy's Parade, coming to the rescue with a Fire Truck, Fire Engine, a Smoking Outhouse and a Fire Pumper. The clown group wore matching yellow and red firefighter jackets with red helmets which read "F.D.," joined by daffy Dalmatians.
The clown group became a Parade mainstay, and made several dozen consecutive appearances, always ensuring that they brought not only a bucket of laughs, but a bucket of water along with them. The clown group's name was briefly changed in 1994 to the "Funny Flutter Fetti Fire Brigade," before being given their current name, the Funny Firefighter Brigade, in 1995.
Harold the Fireman, a recreation of the Fireman balloon from the 1940's, became the honorary chief of the Funny Fire Brigade in 1996, always soaring high and keeping a watchful eye on his recruits. A costumed version of Harold was later added to the group.
In 1999, the Funny Firefighter Brigade received new costumes, with all members of the clown group now wearing bright yellow button-down jackets and red helmets. The Fire Engine, Smoking Outhouse and Fire Pumper were retired from the group following the 2000 Parade.
The Funny Firefighter Brigade was scheduled to don masks and make a special appearance at the reimagined 2020 Parade. However, as COVID-19 cases rose throughout New York City in the weeks leading up to the Parade, a reduction of participants was made and several elements were pulled from the line of march, including the Funny Firefighter Brigade.
After this hiatus, the Brigade returned to the line of march for the 2021 Macy's Parade with all-new hula hoop jackets, joining forces with the Keystone Cops & Robbers and the Funny Bone Medical Team to form a new clown group known as the Funny First Responders.