George Washington and Benjamin Franklin are a pair of toy floats from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
The George Washington & Ben Franklin toy floats first appeared in the 1975 Parade, saluting the nation's upcoming bicentennial. Depicted as oversized paper mache heads, the Founding Fathers were surrounded by historical motifs that reflected their contributions to American society, including a Washington Gun cannon, a printing press, a lightning-struck kite, and the Liberty Bell. An entourage of Colonial Men and Women escorted the figures.
The toy floats appeared in the Parade for over two decades, even appearing at the 1990 Macy's-Egleston Christmas Parade. They were retired after 1996, and were spiritually succeeded by the Founding Father Balloonheads.