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Snoopy is a fictional character from the well-known Peanuts comic strip created by the legendary Charles M. Schulz. The pet beagle of the main character Charlie Brown, Snoopy debuted during the strip's first week of syndication, in October 1950. He is one of the most recognizable and iconic characters in the Peanuts franchise, including the original strip, its television specials, and feature film adaptation. He was ranked by TV Guide as the eighth-greatest cartoon character of all time, and in 2015 he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Snoopy has been a regular staple character in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade since 1968. Since then, he has had more unique variants than any other character balloon, with nine in total across eight balloons, and has appeared the most out of any character, with a grand total of 42 appearances so far.

History with the Macy's Parade[]

You're a Good Man Charlie Brown Float (1967-1968)[]

Snoopy made his Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade debut in 1967, on the You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown float. Snoopy was featured as a paper-maché figure perched upon his famous red doghouse, surrounded by other Peanuts characters. The figure only made one appearance and was replaced in 1968 with a sign that read "Gone Flying."

Snoopy the Aviator/Astronaut (1968-1982, 1985)[]

The original Snoopy balloon took approximately two years to design and build before it debuted in the 1968 Parade.[1] Based upon a pocket doll that was sold at the time, the 50-foot-tall balloon likeness of the beloved beagle was designed by Goodyear engineer William Ludwick of Akron, Ohio. Filled with 8,500 cubic feet of helium, the famous beagle didn't even need a Sopwith Camel to zoom through the air.

“Fashioning an inflatable likeness of Snoopy was a sizable undertaking at Goodyear,” John Bird of Goodyear PR wrote. “Nearly eight months and 1,500 man-hours were required to design, cut, seam, glue, and assemble the more-than-4,000 square feet of fabric going into the carcass.”[2]

For the 250-pound balloon's unveiling at the Wingfoot Lake hangar in Suffield Township, Goodyear's PR department hired Ohio airshow pilot Everett Dyer to dress up like the Red Baron in a leather jacket, helmet, goggles, and red scarf.

The dedication and time towards the Snoopy balloon would pay off later that November, as he became an instant Parade mainstay.

Hot off the trails of the Apollo 11 space program, which had successfully sent Neil Armstrong to the moon earlier that year, the Parade team decided to have Snoopy refitted in space gear for the 1969 Parade. The engineers at Goodyear began to determine which parts of the Snoopy balloon could be removed in order to turn it into a dashing astronaut, while at the same time attempting to maintain the “free lift”, in order for the balloon to fly properly.

A liquid material was used to remove the balloon's various aviator attributes including the goggles, the green helmet and its trim. The balloon's scarf was also removed, and all of the removed elements were placed away in storage as Goodyear officials knew the aviator incarnation would one day return.[3]

The updated Snoopy balloon depicted the comic pup gearing up for a historic trip to the moon. Constructed out of the same basic shapes as the Aviator -- a series of spheres, cones, cylinders and doughnut shapes -- Snoopy flew down the streets of New York City celebrating the wonder of space flight decked out in space gear.

The 1971 Parade brought with it gale-force winds and heavy rainfall. The awful weather caused many of the giant helium balloons to be grounded for the year with only three being able to make an appearance; those being Smokey Bear, Happy Dragon and Snoopy. All three balloons would be severely damaged during their inflation; however, it was Snoopy who suffered the worst of it. The wind carried the half-inflated helium carcass through the air, eventually crashing into a tractor-trailer parked on the side of 77th Street. The impact wrapped the balloon's head around the vehicle, tearing it open. The balloon was freed and deflated entirely, placed back in its phone booth-sized crate and would not make it to see Thanksgiving Day 1971.

The balloon took Goodyear officials several weeks to dry out, patch up and repaint. The balloon would later be fixed and was able to fly for the 1972 Parade.

Snoopy would once again face turbulence during the 1973 Parade, suffering a leak in his chest in addition to a limp wrist. The puncture was not severe enough to remove the brave beagle, and the balloon would continue down the Parade route without further incident.

The balloon encountered further difficulties during the 1975 Parade, which had been once again affected by heavy rain and strong wind gusts. Upon arriving at 73rd Street, the balloon veered into a few trees, which punctured its wrist, resulting in it rapidly deflating. Unlike its previous incident, the balloon was damaged enough to be removed from the procession entirely.

The balloon returned to its home at Goodyear's Rockmart headquarters, where its soaking handling lines were baked to dry in special ovens. It was repaired alongside another balloon which had been removed from the 1975 procession - the brave and heroic Underdog. Three weeks passed by and both balloons were in fine-flying shape again and were able to return to the lineup in 1976, where Snoopy would lead the Parade to 34th Street.

The Astronaut design was last used for the 1977 Parade, as it was reverted back to the Aviator incarnation in the summer of 1978.

The green aviator helmet and accompanied goggles were brought out of storage and carefully placed on the balloon to cover the helmet of its astronaut incarnation. The body was painted a clad white, and Snoopy would once again don his red scarf in preparation for his fight with the dreaded Red Baron, as the Snoopy the Aviator balloon design flew for the first time in ten years at the 1978 Parade.

The Snoopy the Aviator balloon would have two successful flights in both 1978 and 1979, however, that was to change. During preparations on the night before the 1980 Parade, the fearless pup’s right leg was torn open by a shard of glass and deflated, leaving a tear too serious to be repaired on site. As a result, the Snoopy balloon would be a no-show at that year’s Parade and he was skipped on the NBC telecast. Following the procession, Snoopy returned to his Rockmart doghouse and was given a repair - a massive bandage. The balloon was able to fly for its triumphant return in the 1981 Parade.

The bandage was not enough to heal Snoopy, however. As the balloon rounded the corner onto 34th Street, the bandage fell off, prompting the Snoopy balloon's leg to lose helium. The balloon was able to make it to the deflation area before any further damage could be done.

The Snoopy balloon was once again retired after the 1982 Parade, and the balloon's tail was deflated for unknown reasons, A statement from United Media spokesperson Jay Pointer explained that, “We always had our Snoopy balloon in, but we had an accident last year and we had to retire him”.[4]

Replacing the balloon was a costumed character version of the beloved beagle, who appeared on United Media's “America's Comic Stars” float. The sprawling float featured the most iconic comic strip characters on a float waving to the crowd. Perched 26 feet off the ground is Snoopy, sitting on his rotating doghouse in a cloudy yonder, joined by his bird buddy Woodstock. The float would appear once again in the 1984 Parade, and was then retired.

The Snoopy balloon would make a grand return to the 1985 Parade, repaired and bringing a special gift to Parade spectators. The addition of a letter with a red ribbon was made to the balloon, which was placed in the balloon's hands. Upon arriving at Herald Square, the letter was “opened”, revealing it to be Santa's Nice List, naming all the good boys and girls from around the world. While turning onto 34th Street, the list fell off of the balloon and onto the ground below. No one was injured and the balloon completed its march without further incident. After this appearance, the balloon was officially retired from the Parade.

Though the balloon was retired from the main Parade, its legacy would live on as it made an appearance in the 1986 edition of Macy's-Egleston Christmas Parade alongside Goodyear contemporary Donald Duck and newcomer Yogi Bear.

Skater Snoopy (1987)[]

The 1986 Parade was noted for its absence of both Snoopy and the Peanuts franchise. Snoopy's absence in particular was controversial, as many people "gave the [Parade Studio] letters" about the lack of Snoopy. As a result, at-the-time Parade Director, Jean McFaddin, went to Peanuts creator Charles Schulz, who helped brainstorm the design for a brand-new Snoopy balloon.[5]

Snoopy would later return for the 1987 Parade, soaring down the streets with an all-new giant helium balloon. The six-story tall balloon depicts Snoopy lacing up his 19-foot-long ice skates as he glides gracefully down the Parade route, keeping warm with a scarf and a 30-foot long red-and-green-striped stocking hat. Dubbed the “Skater Snoopy” balloon, it was the first balloon version of Snoopy to be created by Raven's Aerostar division. Due to both technical advancements and Schulz' involvement with designing, the balloon-making company were able to construct an inflatable figure that matched more closely to the beloved beagle's depiction in the comics. At 62-feet-tall, the balloon is 62 times the height of a real-life beagle.[6]

The balloon took its very first flight on November 7, 1987. The 62 foot tall balloon was inflated from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Central Park. During this flight, the balloon was accompanied by walk arounds of Charlie Brown, Linus, and Lucy, as watchers in attendance, as well as the press saw the new Snoopy balloon for the first time. Following the test flight, the balloon was additionally given minor paint job differences.

The balloon's creation and development was later documented in an episode of Reading Rainbow, titled “Brush” in August 1988. In the episode, host LeVar Burton follows Parade legend Manfred Bass through the Macy's Parade Studio, presenting the creation of the Snoopy balloon from a pencil sketch to its clay model, and later its fabrication and inflation.[7]

It became the first balloon in over 50 years to incorporate a "sound" into the balloon. In this case, a backing track of Snoopy "laughing" was heard, to give the illusion that he had been "laughing all the way down Broadway." This would also be heard on NBC's official broadcast of the Parade.

The balloon was sold as a plush at Macy's stores nationwide for the holiday shopping season, with Snoopy being named the first-ever Macy's Holiday Ambassador that year. A special commercial was made by Bill Melendez Productions, featuring original animation[8] of Snoopy and Woodstock frolicking with the Peanuts gang, bundled up in Macy's-branded apparel.

This balloon would not last long, however, as the balloon was later retired from the Parade following the 1987 procession.

Akin to the previous balloon incarnation, the Skater Snoopy balloon would appear at the 1987 edition of Macy's Egleston-Christmas Parade, joined by fellow balloon colleagues Baby Shamu, the White Macy’s Stars and an array of ornament novelty balloons. The balloon was most recently confirmed to exist in February 1989, through a balloon inventory chart.[9]

Snoopy & Woodstock (1988-1995)[]

Snoopy returned to the procession as a giant helium balloon once again for the 1988 Parade, now joined by his best friend, Woodstock. The dynamic duo were represented as skating down the streets of New York City, bundling warm against the frigid fall temperatures with a line of Macy's-branded winter wear; Snoopy wore a pair of red earmuffs and festive jumper, with Woodstock wearing a red-and-white striped stocking hat.

The Snoopy balloon measured 50 feet tall, 25 feet wide and required 9,000 cubic feet of helium to help the cartoon mutt reach fine-flying form. Woodstock was also of giant proportions, weighing a total of 70 pounds and measuring 18 feet wide and 24 feet tall. The Woodstock balloon took its very own test flight ion November 13, 1988, outside of Macy's flagship Herald Square department store, joining the American Star Ornaments. Originally, the Snoopy balloon was supposed to fly alongside Woodstock, but it was grounded for unknown reasons. Snoopy would later have a test flight a few days later on the 17th.[10]

For its appearance on NBC's telecast of the Parade, the Snoopy balloon was equipped with a special camera, known as “Snoopy-Cam" in its scarf, which gave Parade viewers at home an up-close-and-personal look at what the balloon saw as it travelled down the Parade route.[11] The camera was eventually removed from the balloon after the 1991 Parade.

The balloon duo would later be used in a variety of events, store openings and other festive Parades throughout the late 80s to mid 90s. Their first appearance outside of the Parade was in Atlanta, as Snoopy and Woodstock flew high in the sky at the Macy's-Egleston Christmas Parade.

Heavy snowfall affected the 1989 Parade, leaving New York City covered with over six inches of snow on Thanksgiving Day. The resulting high winds caused the Snoopy balloon to have its nose damaged by a tree shortly before Parade step-off. The damage was unable to be fixed in time and the balloon was removed from the lineup, alongside Woodstock. Archival footage from its previous appearance in the 1988 procession was used on the NBC telecast, while the handlers would handle the other giants, such as Spider-Man and Woody Woodpecker. Repairs were made to the beloved beagle's nose, and the balloons were able to return to the lineup the following year.

Continuing to appear outside of the Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Snoopy balloon appeared at the grand opening of the Cherry Hill Macy's location,[12] which featured a Parade with balloons, floats, clowns and marching bands. Among the lineup was Snuggle Bear and Clifford the Big Red Dog, who floated through the skies to the tune of the Funny Factory Clown Band and The Cherry Hill West High School Band.

In the mid 1990s, the Snoopy balloon began to age, as well as endur several damages. The first of these came during the 1993 Parade, when Snoopy's earmuff was deflated, likely as a result of a lamppost. The Snoopy balloon would endur another accident in the 1994 Parade, as high winds pushed the beloved beagle into an unknown object, damaging the bottom of the balloons skate. The balloon would get to the end of the route without any further damage. The Woodstock balloon would also be affected by "wind demons," as by Herald Square, the balloon was pushed back behind the Snoopy balloon.

Macy's Balloon-A-Thon, an exhibit that gave guests a close look at the Parade's iconic inflatable elements and fantasy floats, was first held at the Park Slope Armory for four days in May 1995.[13] The balloons that were helium-inflated and put on display include Snoopy, Quik Bunny, The Pink Panther, Barney and various other novelty balloons.

Snoopy's age reached the worst when the balloon duo would make another Parade appearance in 1995, with an incident spoiling the event. After passing by the NBC cameras and as the balloon rounded the corner to 7th Avenue, the Snoopy balloon was blown into a flagpole on the Macy's department store.[14] The impact caused several damages to Snoopy, such as the face being torn open, as well as a portion of the face being ripped from the balloon altogether. Following this appearance, the Snoopy and Woodstock balloons were officially retired from the Parade, though it remains unclear if the incident had an impact on this decision.

Between 1996 to 1998, there was no major[15] representation of the PEANUTS franchise in the Parade, despite the comics and holiday television special's massive popularity.

Millennium Snoopy (1999-2001)[]

Snoopy made yet another triumphant return to the Parade in 1999, ringing in the new millennium with a brand-new giant balloon. Known as “Millennium Snoopy”, the balloon featured Snoopy partying through the streets of Manhattan, wearing a festive party hat as he blew into a "Macy's 2000" noisemaker, anticipating the arrival of the year 2000. The balloon likeness of the beloved beagle measured 47 feet tall, 64 feet long and 28 feet wide, serving as the opening act for the 73rd annual procession down the Great White Way.

Joining the festivities even further, a costumed character version of Snoopy was escorted on route to Herald Square by the UCA Cheerleaders, heralding the New Year and the holiday season.

Snoopy would once again be named Macy's Holiday Ambassador of 1999, with a specialty plush sold at Macy's stores nationwide, with a design very similar to that of the Millennium Snoopy balloon. To celebrate the occasion, a cold-air version of the Millennium Snoopy balloon was placed on Macy's 34th Street memorial marquee, greeting holiday shoppers from high above his “Millennium Countdown” clock, which ticked away until the year 2000 arrived.

Following the passing of Peanuts creator Charles Schulz, in February 2000, the Santa Rosa Parade would be held. Among the elements was the same cold air Millennium Snoopy balloon. The original Snoopy balloon would later be given a partial air inflation at the Peanuts Museum, with the balloon's head poking out of his storage crate. It would be the last time a Goodyear balloon would be seen by the public.[3] Later that same year, Millennium Snoopy would once again take to the skies of New York City.

Millennium Snoopy was given minor changes in preparation for the 2001 Parade, as the millennium celebration had long since ended. The theme of the balloon was changed from Snoopy celebrating the new millennium to Snoopy celebrating the Parade's 75th anniversary. The “Macy's 2000” logo on the balloon's party horn was replaced with a message celebrating the diamond jubilee. After this appearance, the balloon would be retired from the line of march.

In a novel twist, Snoopy would be replaced by his faithful owner Charlie Brown as a balloon in the 2002 Parade. The balloon’s design featured the lovable blockhead attempting to kick the Elusive Football through the canyons of skyscrapers. Though his pet beagle was absent from the Parade in balloon form, Snoopy appeared as a costumed character on the Pep Rally float in 2002, which followed closely behind the Charlie Brown balloon.

2005 marked a important year, as the original Snoopy balloon was cut up into swatches along with many of its Goodyear and Raven contemporaries. The swatches were then framed and given to several Macy's Parade Studio employees and company executives.[3]

When the Charlie Brown balloon was in the Parade, Snoopy would continue to make appearances outside of the Parade. On September 25, 2004, the Millennium Snoopy balloon was flown at the grand reopening of a Macy's store at the Maine Mall in South Portland.[16]

Snoopy as the Flying Ace (2006-2011)[]

After being absent from the trek down Herald Square since 2001, a new Snoopy balloon was crafted for the landmark 80th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2006. The new balloon featured Snoopy as his Flying Ace persona from the comics for the first time. Now, he sported a brown hat and a pair of binoculars to spot the dreaded Red Baron. Fully inflated, the 15,000 cubic foot balloon measured 52 feet tall, 49 feet long, and 25 feet wide.

Snoopy as the Flying Ace, alternatively named Flying Ace Snoopy, served as the lead balloon for the 2006 Parade, braving the weather to fly down the route without incident. Joining him was a float replica of his doghouse, with Woodstock signaling the way for the brave Flying Ace.

With the title of Macy’s Holiday Ambassador going once again to Snoopy, another cold-air inflatable was created, now joined by Woodstock as the duo relaxed in comfy winter gear on the Macy's marquee, mirroring Snoopy's sleeping position in the Peanuts comic strip. A specialty plush doll was created for the occasion, featuring Snoopy in a cozy red sweater with Woodstock atop his head. Packaged alongside the plush was a FM Tuner.

The balloon continued to take annual voyages down the Great White Way for another five years. In 2010, Snoopy as the Flying Ace kicked off the holiday spectacle alongside other Peanuts characters to celebrate the strip's 60th anniversary, currently being the only Snoopy balloon to lead twice.

The Flying Ace balloon would be re-inflated just weeks after the 2010 Parade, and flown along Central Park West as one of many Parade units staged for the filming of the 2011 film, Tower Heist. The scene was filmed over the course of two days and featured appearances by the Jolly Polly Pirate Ship, the Confetti Clowns, Tom Turkey and the Macy's Great American Marching Band.

Ben Stiller, who played the role of Josh Kovacs in the film, recounted the experience in an interview saying “We have to figure out to get up to the apartment on Thanksgiving Day, so they just sneak into the building while everyone's watching the Snoopy float go by, because everybody's fascinated by Snoopy.”[17]

On October 12, 2011, the balloon would go under a repaint to scrape down on the balloon to remove any noticable paint damage.[18] Unfortunately, the 2011 balloon inflation had been rained on[19], resulting in Snoopy's paint looking as if it had "chipped off" the following day.[20] The balloon was retired following the 2011 Parade, and has not been seen since.

The Charlie Brown and the Elusive Football balloons would return to the 2012 Parade, once again taking place of the beagle. However, Snoopy would appear on the aforementioned Snoopy's Doghouse float alongside Linus and Lucy.

Snoopy & Woodstock (2013-2015)[]

The World's Most Famous Beagle returned to the lineup for the 2013 Parade, debuting in the form of a brand-new giant balloon. The Snoopy balloon took flight alongside his pal Woodstock, making another record-setting stint in the Macy's Parade. Vicki Scott of the Peanuts Studio took pencil to paper and sketched a series of ideas for the new balloon. Macy's loved the idea of a Snoopy and Woodstock combination balloon, but attaching Woodstock and his bird friends to Snoopy proved to be a challenging feat.[21] The final design features Snoopy soaring down the streets of New York City with outstretched arms as Woodstock is perched atop his head, steering his ears as he flies through NYC.

Parade Executive Amy Kule commented on the balloon's debut, saying “Seeing Snoopy take to the sky for his record breaking 37th flight is truly an incredible thrill. As the many millions of Macy’s Parade fans know, Snoopy and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade are synonymous and this seventh iteration of this magnificent beagle and his rascally friend Woodstock will carve an indelible image in the sky as he has ever since the late 1960's.”[22]

While preparing for its first trial run at Balloonfest 2013, the Snoopy and Woodstock balloon experienced a few tense moments, when the inflation net caught on the poor pooch's left ear. Crews swarmed to Snoopy's left side and eventually Macy's Parade Studio Vice President John Piper climbed a ladder and freed the net. Minutes later the balloon was up and away and ready to be seen on Thanksgiving Day.[23]

In 2015, Snoopy was once again named Macy's Holiday Ambassador as part of a promotion titled “Macy's Hearts Peanuts." The promotion was held in honor of the 65th anniversary of the Peanuts comic strip, and the golden anniversary of the television special, A Charlie Brown Christmas. A specialty inflatable of Snoopy, joined by his sister Belle, was perched upon Macy's 34th Street marquee and greeted holiday shoppers who walked by. Likewise, a push toy was sold at select Macy's stores dressed in a warm holiday hat and vest along with a bonus backpack clip of his sister Belle.[24]Alongside the anniversary of the strip and the television special, this includes the release of Blue Sky adaptation of Peanuts, The Peanuts Movie.

Celebrating the special anniversaries further, Snoopy and assorted Peanuts characters appeared in the annual Macy's Holiday Windows. The Snoopy's Doghouse float was also given a facelift, depicting Snoopy decorating his blue doghouse in hopes of winning a Christmas decoration contest.

The second Snoopy and Woodstock balloon made its final appearance in the 2015 Parade, but would continue to be used in several Balloon Field Training sessions starting in 2017, with it most recently being used in September 2019.

Snoopy would once again be replaced by Charlie Brown in the 2016 Parade, which was a new balloon and featured the world-renowned blockhead getting tangled up in his kite. Snoopy would appear as a costumed character on his doghouse float, waving to his many fans and Parade spectators.

Astronaut Snoopy (2019-2022)[]

After three years of being shelved as a giant, Snoopy would be cleared for take-off, and returned as a giant balloon for the 2019 Parade, replacing his owner once again. Celebrating the wonder of space flight, Snoopy, decked in astronaut gear, launched his new mission in celebration of the Snoopy In Space series on Apple TV, and the 50th anniversary of the moon landing in 2019 and future missions to the moon and beyond.

Designed by the artists of Macy's Parade Studio in collaboration with the Peanuts team, the newest Astronaut Snoopy was sure to live up to the incredible high-flying legacy of his predecessors. Dressed in an orange flight suit and helmet similar to a modern astronaut, the Astronaut Snoopy balloon measures 49 feet tall, 43 feet wide, 29 feet wide and was the 100th giant balloon for the Macy's Parade to be created by Raven Aerostar Industries.

“Snoopy flying in the Macy's Parade has become a tradition that fans from all over the world expect and have loved to enjoy for more than four decades,” said Jordan Dabby, producer of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. “This year's flight will not only extend Snoopy's record as the character with the most balloon designs to eight, but will add a record-extending 40th flight in the Macy’s Parade line-up. We are thrilled that he is coming back dressed in the style of a modern day astronaut, after having first debuted as an Apollo astronaut in the 1969 Macy's Parade.”[25]

The Astronaut Snoopy balloon was originally planned to appear in the reimagined 2020 Parade, being flown down 34th Street with a five-vehicle framework. However, rising cases of COVID-19 caused the Astronaut Snoopy balloon to be demoted to a pre-recorded appearance. Archival footage of the balloon from its 2019 appearance was used, dubbed over by commentary provided by Today's Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb.[26]

Snoopy launched for the cosmos once again as the balloon returned live at the 2021 Parade, joined by Charlie Brown, Linus and Lucy who appeared on the Snoopy's Doghouse float.

The Astronaut Snoopy balloon returned to the Parade lineup in 2022, continuting to celebrate the legacy of Peanuts' relationship with the Apollo missions including Artemis 1, where an Astronaut Snoopy plush doll was used as a Zero Gravity Indicator. The balloon was also featured through a collection of merchandise available at Macy's Herald Square and online, which included clothing, ornaments, and plushes. The Astronaut Snoopy balloon would be retired after its 2022 Parade appearance.

Beagle Scout Snoopy (2023-present)[]

At ComicCon 2023, it was revealed that Snoopy was set to make his debut with an all new giant helium balloon for the 2023 Parade. It was created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Beagle Scouts in 2024, and to promote the Apple TV+ series, Camp Snoopy. The balloon design depicts Snoopy in a running pose as a beagle scout, with Woodstock laying back atop his head, wearing his own hat. According to Will Coss, “the new balloon is estimated to require 50 to 75 balloon handlers, and will take two to three hours to inflate." The proportions are 50 feet tall, 42 feet long and 34 feet wide.

During its parade debut, the left side of the balloon's Scout Master hat was punctured by trees along Central Park West. Though the hat was left partially deflated, the balloon successfully completed its march without further damages.

Trivia[]

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The Skater Snoopy balloon's 1987 Parade appearance is notable for being the highest a giant balloon has flown, at over 100 feet in the air. (Photo: Sara Krulwich)

  • Skater Snoopy is one of the ten post-Goodyear balloons to have appeared only once in the Parade, with the other nine including Humpty Dumpty (1986), Goofy (1992), Rex (1993), Dudley the Dragon (1995), Bumpé (1997), Babe (1998), Bandleader Mickey (2000), Curious George (2001) and Green Eggs and Ham (2019).
  • The 1988 Snoopy balloon incorrectly depicted Snoopy as having a black tail, despite Snoopy having a white tail. This error also extended to the Holiday Ambassador plushies for both the 1987 and 1988 balloons.
  • The original Snoopy balloon is currently the longest running Snoopy balloon, having made 16 appearances in the Parade lineup.
  • The original balloon was also made into a Hallmark Keepsake Ornament in 2022, being sold exclusively at American stores.
  • Skater Snoopy is the most recent giant helium balloon that included sound.
  • 2009 was notable for being Snoopy's last flight while the franchise was sponsored by United Media. Since 2010, all Peanuts appearances have been sponsored by PEANUTS Worldwide.
  • The Astronaut Snoopy balloon's 2022 flight is notable for being the only time a Peanuts balloon made a fourth appearance when PEANUTS Worldwide was the sponsor.
  • Jean Schulz, Charles Schulz' widow, has handled the Snoopy balloons four times, in 2006, 2011, 2015 and 2019.
  • The Beagle Scout Snoopy balloon is the second giant balloon to be unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con, with the first being Adventure Time with Finn and Jake.
  • The original Snoopy balloon is tied with the most removals with the first Sonic the Hedgehog balloon.

See also[]

References[]

  1. https://youtu.be/Ehk5cfEEzfU?t=875
  2. https://www.beaconjournal.com/news/20181118/local-history-charlie-browns-pal-snoopy-debuted-as-macys-parade-balloon-50-years-ago
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 This information was provided by the MACY'S PARADE NATION Facebook page.
  4. File:Democrat and Chronicle Mon Nov 21 1983 .jpg
  5. https://youtu.be/uuvj07MKiNI?t=917
  6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WuOhyrMPjg
  7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtTBG7dh1hY
  8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR9NJ1wY9ms
  9. File:12096239 10207606660941694 7978277475491145278 n.jpg
  10. Image - Snoopyremoval.png | Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Wiki | Fandom
  11. https://youtu.be/SURxUaeXV5w?t=912
  12. File:465343647.jpg
  13. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/43156796/daily-news/
  14. Image - Snoopy1995accident.png | Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Wiki | Fandom
  15. Woodstock had a minor appearance in 1997, as one of the Baseball Clowns wore a hat with the character on it.
  16. https://www.gettyimages.ca/detail/news-photo/staff-photo-by-derek-davis-friday-september-24-2004-snoopy-news-photo/483006721
  17. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mCeBK43a0A
  18. File:Pain.jpg
  19. File:Macy 001.jpg
  20. File:Snoopyflake2011.jpg
  21. https://peanutsstudio.com/post/68178079860/snoopy-on-the-way-to-macys-thanksgiving-day/amp
  22. https://www.nymetroparents.com/article/New-Snoopy-Balloon-In-2013-The-Macy-s-Thanksgiving-Day-Parade
  23. https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/11/09/handlers-test-balloons-for-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade/
  24. https://www.macysinc.com/investors/news-events/press-releases/detail/610/macys-hearts-peanuts
  25. https://www.macysinc.com/investors/news-events/press-releases/detail/1570/snoopy-is-cleared-for-take-off#:~:text=Snoopy%20is%20cleared%20for%20launch,Macy's%20Thanksgiving%20Day%20Parade%C2%AE.
  26. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OIbICWRXEw
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