The 60th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (1986) | The 61st Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (1987) | The 62nd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (1988) |
The 61st Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was held on November 26, 1987, in New York City, and shown to viewers live on NBC and CBS that same day from 9 a.m. to 12 noon EST, with the NBC broadcast being hosted by Willard Scott and Mary Hart. The participating celebrities included the likes of Rita Coolidge, The Oak Ridge Boys, Bobby Vinton, Phylicia Rashad, Judy Kaye and Jill Schulz.
Overview[]
The weather for the 1987 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade proved to be picture perfect for the several thousand participants that brought the 61st "Holiday Treat for Children Everywhere" to life. The 2.1-million spectators that lined the streets took a course in balloon watching as 10 giant balloons flew above them, four of which were new - Spider-Man, Ronald McDonald, Snoopy, and Snuggle. The debutants joined the balloon versions of Garfield, Woody Woodpecker, Superman, and a myriad of other helium giants.
Following the Albertville High School Aggie Band's entrance into the concrete canyons was a cavalcade of merry marchers, fantasy floats and comical clowns. The hit musical, Les Misérables, performed a number for the NBC telecast, and Rita Coolidge sang "Your Love Is Lifting Me Higher" from high atop the Turkey float. Jim Henson and Willard Scott were also honored with a Macy's-sanctioned Rollie Award - Henson for 11 years of Muppet participation in the Parade, with Willard's Rollie for seven years of Parade participation. Patrick Swayze trotted down Broadway on his very own Arabian stallion, and Bobby Vinton rode--or flew, rather--an airplane float from Trans World Airlines.
Capping off the morning of fantasy-filled fun was Santa Claus, as always, who wished everyone a happy holiday season from his snow goose sleigh to start the 1987 holiday season.
Parade Lineup[]
Listed below are the Parade elements that appeared in the 1987 line of march. Each element is listed in their respective categories/sub-categories, with sponsors in bold.
Bold indicates a new Parade element, underline indicates an element that was brought back after an absence, and * indicates a Parade element that was retired after the 1987 procession.
Balloons[]
Giant Balloons[]
- Spider-Man (Marvel Entertainment Group) - 1st time
- Garfield (United Media) - 4th time
- Woody Woodpecker (Universal City Studios) - 6th time
- Kermit the Frog* (Jim Henson Productions) - 11th time
- Ronald McDonald (McDonald's) - 1st time
- Betty Boop* (King Features) - 3rd time
- Superman* (DC Comics) - 8th time
- Baby Shamu (SeaWorld) - 2nd time
- Snoopy* (United Media) - 1st time
- Snuggle Bear (Lever Brothers Company) - 1st time
Novelty Balloons[]
- Ice Cream Cone (Macy's) - 1st time
- Macy's Stars (Macy's) - 2nd time
- Lollipop (Macy's) - 3rd time
- Pennsylvania Dutch Ornaments (Macy's) - 3rd time
- Flower Ornaments (Macy's) - 3rd time
- American Star Ornaments (Macy's) - 3rd time
- Macy's Star (Macy's) - 2nd time
- Red Geometric Ornament (Macy's) - 3rd time
- Blue Geometric Ornament (Macy's) - 3rd time
- Lollipop (Macy's) - 3rd time
- Blue Snow Crystal (Macy's) - 3rd time
- Red Snow Crystal (Macy's) - 3rd time
- White Poinsettias (Macy's) - 3rd time
- Red Poinsettias (Macy's) - 3rd time
- Ice Stars (Macy's) - 1st time
Floats[]
- Indian Canoe (Macy's) - 2nd time
- Macy Clipper (Macy's) - 2nd time
- Turkey (Macy's) - 15th time
- Great American Small Dog (Purina Dog Chow) - 2nd time
- Fruit Juice Valley (Macy's) - 1st time
- Doodlebug (Macy's) - 8th time
- Cabbage Patch Kids Playground* (Coleco) - 1st time
- Watering Can (Macy's) - 1st time
- Showboat (Macy's) - 19th time
- Barbie & The Rockers (Mattel) - 2nd time
- Macy Flyer (Trans World Airlines) - 2nd time
- Circus Wagon (Macy's) - 19th time
- Statue of Liberty (Macy's) - 2nd time
- Marvel Universe (Marvel Entertainment Group) - 1st time
- Herald Square Express Train (Macy's) - 3rd time
- Big Apple (Daily News) - 6th time
- Clock Tower & Dragon (Macy's) - 1st time
- Positively Penguin (SeaWorld) - 1st time
- Peanuts Ice Rink (Metropolitan Life) - 1st time
- Mother Goose (Macy's) - 10th time
- Cinderella's Carriage (Macy's) - 12th time
- Santa's Sleigh (Macy's) - 10th time
Specialty Units[]
- NYC Police Department Motorcycle Unit - 3rd time
- "Holiday Treat for Children Everywhere" Banner (Macy's) - 7th time
- GMC Banner (GMC Truck) - 1st time
- Carson City Stagecoach* - 1st time
- "How Does Your Garden Grow" Banner (Macy's) - 1st time
- Crosley Fire Truck* - 1st time
- Aviator Bikes (Macy's) - 9th time
- "A Circus Celebration" Banner (Macy's) - 1st time
- "If You Haven't Seen Macy's, You Haven't Seen New York" Banner (Macy's) - 7th time
- NYC Parks Enforcement Mounted Patrol - 5th time
- "A Medieval Fanfare" Banner (Macy's) - 1st time
- "Fairy Tale Friends" Banner (Macy's) - 1st time
- Heinz Hitch* (Heinz) - 1st time
- NYC Police Department Mounted Unit - 61st time
Toy Floats[]
- Pilgrim Man & Pilgrim Woman (Macy's) - 13th time
- Rocking Tortoise (Macy's) - 9th time
- Racing Hare (Macy's) - 1st time
- Rocking Kangaroo (Macy's) - 9th time
- Bear Bee (Macy's) - 15th time
- Garden Snail (Macy's) - 12th time
- The Growing Flowers (Macy's) - 2nd time
- Rocking Lion (Macy's) - 9th time
- George Washington & Ben Franklin (Macy's) - 13th time
- Rocking Horse (Macy's) - 14th time
- Rocking Lobster (Macy's) - 9th time
- Rub-A-Dub-Dub (Macy's) - 2nd time
Marching Bands[]
- Albertville High School Marching Aggie Band (Albertville, AL), performed "Can Can"
- Bergenfield High School Marching Band (Bergenfield, NJ), performed "British Grenadiers" and "White Christmas"
- Danbury High School Marching Band (Danbury, CO)
- Tate High School Showband of the South (Gonzales, FL)
- Carlisle Senior High School Band (Carlisle, PA), performed "American Overture" and "Westminster Carol"
- East Carteret Marching Mariners (Beaufort, NC)
- McDonald's All-American High School Band (Nationwide)
- Dalton High School Catamount Marching Band (Dalton, GA), performed "Alexander's Ragtime Band"
- Virginia Tech Regimental Band (Blacksburg, VA), performed "Glory of the Trumpets"
- Live Oak Emerald Regime Marching Band (Morgan Hill, CA)
- Greenbrier East Spartan Marching Band (Lewisburg, VA)
- Southport High School Marching Band (Indianapolis, IN)
- George Rogers Clark High School Marching Band (Winchester, KY), performed selections from "The Nutcracker"
Guest Stars[]
- Parade Official Jean McFaddin
- Saundra Santiago, sang "America the Beautiful" (Indian Canoe)
- Christopher Hewett with the Brigade of the American Revolution (Macy Clipper)
- Rita Coolidge, sang "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" (Turkey)
- Bert Parks, sang "Good Things Come In Small Packages" (Great American Small Dog)
- The Oak Ridge Boys, sang "Hear My Heart Beat" (Fruit Juice Valley)
- Rags to Riches Kids and the Cabbage Patch Kids, sang "We Got Fun" (Cabbage Patch Kids Playground)
- Buffalo Bob, Howdy Doody and Clarabell (Carson City Stage Coach)
- Emmanuel Lewis (Garden Snail)
- Sweet Adelines, sang "Come Follow the Band" (Showboat)
- Barbie & The Rockers with TADA!, performed "Reaching for the Stars" (Barbie & The Rockers)
- Bobby Vinton, sang "Santa Must Be Polish" (Macys Flyer)
- Patrick Swayze on Horseback
- Gloria Loring, sang "You Always Knew" (Circus Wagon)
- Ben Vereen and the Boy Scouts of America, sang "Give a Little Love" (Statue of Liberty)
- Pia Zadora, sang "Pennies from Heaven" (Herald Square Express Train)
- Long Island Banjo Society (Herald Square Express Train)
- Phylicia Rashad, sang "My Favorite Time of Year" (Big Apple)
- Alaina Reed Hall, sang "We'll Be Together" (Clock Tower & Dragon)
- Deidre Hall (Clock Tower & Dragon)
- Bruce Weitz, sang "Thou Swell" (Rocking Horse)
- Michael Damian, sang "Christmas Time Without You" (Rocking Lobster)
- Judy Kaye, sang "Doin' the Penguin Hop" (Positively Penguin)
- Jill Schulz (Peanuts Ice Rink)
- Dr. Joyce Brothers (Mother Goose)
- Kale Browne, David Forsyth, and Ed Fry (Rub-A-Dub-Dub)
- The Cast of Into The Woods (Cinderella's Carriage)
- John Tesh and Mary Hart (Santa's Trolley)
- The Osmond Boys, sang "Jingle Bells (Come on, We're Going for a Sleigh Ride)" (Heinz Hitch)
- Santa Claus (Santa's Sleigh)
Costumed Characters[]
- Quik Bunny
- Clifford the Big Red Dog
- The California Raisins
- Queen Bee and Her Court (Watering Can)
- Norfin Trolls
- Casper the Friendly Ghost and Richie Rich
- Bugs Bunny, Tweety, and Daffy Duck (Crosley Fire Truck)
- Danger Mouse
- Heart to Heart Bear
- Patti Bear and Ted E. Bear
- Marvel Superheroes (Marvel Universe)
- Archie, Jughead, Betty, Veronica, and Reggie
- Pillow People
- McGruff the Crime Dog
- The Kentucky State Park Lark
- The Peanuts Gang (Peanuts Ice Rink)
Performance Groups[]
Pre-Parade Acts[]
- NCA Superstar Drill Team
- Cabaret, performed "Willkommen" and "If You Could See Her"
- Les Misérables, performed "Look Down", "Castle on a Cloud", and "Bring Him Home"
- Starlight Express, performed "Rolling Stock"
- Clifton Davis, sang "Before the Parade Passes By"
- Mary Hart, sang "Pure Imagination"
- Teddy & Alice, performed "Wave the Flag!"
Clowns[]
- Skating Clowns - 19th time
- Clown Fire Brigade - 1st time
- Ambulance Clowns - 2nd time
- Robot Clowns - 2nd time
- Baby Clowns - 7th time
- Rain Rag Ballet Clowns - 7th time
Clown Props[]
- Bells Jogging Wheel - 7th time
- Dog Catcher - 8th time
- Fire Truck - 4th time
- Smoking Outhouse - 8th time
- Fire Engine - 8th time
- Fire Pumper - 11th time
- Clown Ambulance - 3rd time
- TV Props - 14th time
- Glitz Jogging Wheel - 7th time
- Open Jogging Wheel - 8th time
- Clown Car - 6th time
- Paddy Wagon - 8th time
Trivia[]
- NBC's broadcast was notable for several events:
- Lynda Lopez took over announcing duties for the NBC parade broadcast that year, replacing Bill Wendell.
- Additionally, it was the first NBC broadcast to feature host Willard Scott, who replaced Pat Sajak. He would continue to host the NBC telecast of the Parade until 1997.
- At 62°F (16°C,) it was the warmest Macy's Parade to be held in the 1980s.
- 1987 marked the introduction of numerous notable parts of the Parade:
- the introduction of banners for the giant balloons, a feature used to this day.
- the introduction of Macy's Holiday Ambassador campaign.
- the first Parade since the pre-World War II Parades to feature a balloon with sound.
- four new giant balloons, the most new giant balloons since the 1945 Parade.
- Singer-songwriter Tiffany was planned to make an appearance aboard the Doodlebug. However, she would be unable to show up, so a generic clown took her place. In addition, Petula Clark was also going to make an appearance that year. However, she wasn't able to make it for unknown reasons.