The 34th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (1960) | The 35th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (1961) | The 36th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (1962) |
The 35th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was held on November 23, 1961, in New York City and was shown to viewers live on NBC that same day from 9:15 a.m to noon. NBC's official coverage was hosted by Ed Herlihy and Lindsey Nelson.
Parade Lineup[]
Listed below are the Parade elements that appeared in the 1961 line of march. Each element is listed in their respective categories/sub-categories, with sponsors in bold.
Bold indicates a new Parade element, and * indicates an element that was retired following the 1961 procession.
Balloons[]
- Happy Dragon (Macy's) - 2nd time
- Observer* (Macy's) - 4th time
- Popeye (King Features) - 5th time
- Gorgeous Gobbler* (Macy's) - 7th time
- Bullwinkle Moose (The Kalmus Company) - 1st time
Floats[]
- Mother Goose (Macy's) - 3rd time
- Pinocchio (Macy's) - 1st time
- The Racetrack Grandstand* (Macy's) - 1st time
- Cinderella (Macy's) - 1st time
- Circus* (Macy's)- 3rd time
- Space Ship (Macy's) - 2nd time
- Peacock (Macy's) - 1st time
- Ferris Wheel* (The Radio City Music Hall) - 1st time
- Brigadoon* (The New York City Center Light Opera Company) - 1st time
- Meet the Mets* (Macy's) - 1st time
- Jazz Boat* (Macy's) - 2nd time
- Santa's Sleigh (Macy's) - 1st time
Specialty Units[]
- NYPD Mounted Unit - 35th time
- Macy's REO Delivery Truck (Macy's) - 2nd time
- "Macy's Holiday Treat for Children Everywhere" Banner (Macy's) - 3rd time
- Clown Mobile (Macy's)
- Alfred E. Newman's MAD Balloon* (MAD) - 1st time
- Circus Calliope Wagons (Macy's)
- The Circus Wagon (Macy's) - 1st time
- Big Chief Land Rover (Macy's) - 1st time
- Patrol Car 54 (NBC) - 1st time
Push Floats[]
- Old Mother Hubbard (Macy's)
- Little Miss Muffet (Macy's) - 4th time
- Fun House Mirrors (Macy's)
- Jack-in-the-Box (Macy's)
- Rocking Horse (Macy's) - 4th time
- The Owl and the Pussy-Cat (Macy's) - 2nd time
Marching Bands[]
- Northwestern High School Marching Band (Rock Hill, SC)
- The Garfield Cadets (Allentown, PA)
- Somerset High School Marching Band (Pembroke Pines, FL)
- Greater Kensington String Band (Philadelphia, PA)
- Ceredo-Kenova High School Band (Kenova, WV)
- Hawthorne Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps (Hawthorne, NJ)
- New Castle High School Red Hurricane Marching Band (New Castle, PA)
- Mansfield High School Hornet Band (Mansfield, MA)
- Monroe Girls Drum and Bugle Corps (Monroe, GA)
Guest Stars[]
- Macy's Official: Dennis Mulhearn
- Lorne Greene, Dan Blocker, and Michael Landon
- Martha Wright and The Children's Chorus, sang "Do-Re-Mi" (Mother Goose)
- Connie Francis, sang "Baby's First Christmas" (Pinocchio)
- George Gobel and Sam Levene, sang "Let it Ride" (The Racetrack Grandstand)
- Troy Donahue (Cinderella)
- Miss Teenage America Diane Cox (Cinderella)
- Robert Morse and Charles Nelson Reilly (Space Ship)
- Annette Funicello with The Radio City Music Hall Corps de Ballet (Peacock)
- The Radio City Music Hall Rockettes (Ferris Wheel)
- Lori Martin on Horseback
- Joe E. Ross and Fred Gwynne (Patrol Car 54)
- The New York Center Light Opera Company (Brigadoon)
- Casey Stengel, Gil Hodges, Billy Loes, and Monte Irvin (Meet the Mets)
- Lionel Hampton (Jazz Boat)
- Santa Claus (Christmas Tree)
Costumed Characters[]
- Deputy Dawg
- Mighty Mouse
- Alvin and the Chipmunks
- Alfred E. Neuman
- Alice, White Rabbit, and Mad Hatter
- Little Red Riding Hood
- Three Little Pigs
- Howdy Doody
Incident[]
- The Gorgeous Gobbler's nose was punctured by an obstacle before step off, with his entire head later being deflated.