Peeps are a marshmallow confection that are produced by the Pennsylvania-based Just Born Quality Confections. Peeps were first introduced in 1953 as yellow chicks that were popular gifts for Easter baskets. The brand later expanded to include a myriad of holiday shapes including the traditional Chicks and Bunnies for Easter, Pumpkins and Ghosts for Halloween, Snowmen and Trees for Christmas, and Hearts for Valentine’s Day.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
Peeps made their Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade debut in 2003, celebrating their 50th anniversary with a new float titled “A Celebration of the New Arrivals.”[1] In the 26.4 foot long, 20 foot wide, and 32 foot tall float, the Peeps Chicks and their barnyard friends have the run of the hen house. Inside the Pennsylvania Dutch-inspired barn, newly-hatched chicks keep warm to the sounds of bluegrass music while greeting the dawn of a new day. Sixteen high-spirited ranch hands and roosters escorted the float into Herald Square.
The Peeps float flew the coop after the 2003 Parade, and was later repurposed as a stage for the 2005 Macy’s Flower Show.[2] Its Farmer and Rooster float escort costumes joined the Funny Farm Clowns in 2004.
Guest Stars[]
Listed below are the guest stars that have appeared/performed on the Peeps float, alongside the respective songs which they performed during the NBC Parade telecast.
- 2003 - Old Crow Medicine Show, performed "Hard to Love"
Trivia[]
- The Peeps float was recycled from the 1997 Annabelle’s Wish float.
- Early concept art of the float included the Peeps Bunnies.[3]
- Peeps was a main sponsor of the 2003 Flower Show, and included a 30-foot inflatable Peep Chick on the Broadway marquee of Macy’s Herald Square, in addition to a Peeps Fun Bus.[4]
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ "A Float-illa of Fantasy" Macy's, Inc. press release
- ↑ File:2005-Petacular-Fair.jpg
- ↑ Instagram post from Jennifer Palmer.
- ↑ Clipping from The New York Daily News. April 11, 2003
