King’s Hawaiian is a family-owned business and bakery founded in 1950 by Robert Taira in Hilo, Hawaii. The brand is best known for its Hawaiian Sweet Rolls, the #1 branded dinner roll in the United States,[1] and produces other Hawaiian baked goods and sauces. It owns and operates baking facilities in Torrance, California, and Oakwood, Georgia, which accounts for 75% of the company’s food production.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
King’s Hawaiian joined the 2016 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade lineup with an all-new float, The Aloha Spirit, showcasing Hawaii’s natural landscapes, from its iconic waterfalls to its explosive volcanoes, famed beaches, and indigenous foliage.
Spectators were welcomed to the scene by surf shop cafés beckoning "Aloha!" and a warm "Mahalo." Rising three stories, the float’s centerpiece was a working, cascading waterfall emitting from the peak of a mountain that featured sound and rising steam. Hawaii’s natural vegetation of pineapples, coffee, and sugar cane crops took root on the mountain’s sides in a terraced farming formation as oversized plumerias decorated the side of the float. An erupting volcano at the front of the float served as the stage for a musical performance, which erupted throughout the route, showering the crowds not with lava but with multi-colored confetti showers. Escorting the float were participants festively dressed as Yellow Hibiscus, Palm Trees, Tree Frogs, and a pair of Hibiscus Stilt Walkers.
In its debut appearance, the float was not the only Parade unit representing the state of Hawaii; the Hawaii All-State Marching Band preceded it as the largest ensemble in that year’s Parade.[1]
The Aloha Spirit float made three consecutive appearances and was retired after the 2018 Parade. The Yellow Hibiscus costumes and Hibiscus Stilt Walkers joined the Springtime Clowns the following year, and the plumerias were added to Macy’s Parade Studio’s décor.[2]
Guest Stars[]
Listed below are the guest stars that have appeared/performed on the King’s Hawaiian float alongside their respective 34th Street performances.
- 2016 - Fitz and The Tantrums, sang “HandClap”
- 2017 - Goo Goo Dolls, sang “So Alive”
- 2018 - Barenaked Ladies, sang “One Week”
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "King’s Hawaiian and Macy’s Partner to Bring the Aloha Spirit to an International Audience at the 90th Anniversary Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade," Macy's, Inc. June 14, 2016.
- ↑ Tweet from Macy's, Inc., Twitter. August 11, 2021.