The 63rd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (1989)

The 62nd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (1988)

The 63rd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (1989)

The 64th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (1990)

The 63rd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Poster for the 1989 Parade.
Date	November 23, 1989
Parade #	63
New Giant Balloons	Bugs Bunny by Warner Bros.
New Floats	American Folk Heroes by Reynolds Metals Company Looney Tunes Birthday Celebration by Warner Bros.

The 63^rd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was held on November 23, 1989 in New York City, and shown to viewers live on NBC that same day from 9 a.m. to noon EST. It was hosted by Willard Scott, Deborah Norville, and ALF. Participating celebrities included Jill Schulz, Melba Moore, Buddy Hackett, Clint Black, Candace Cameron, and Jodie Sweetin.

Overview

Despite the frigid and snowy weather, Macy's had another great Parade in 1989, making sure the weather didn't stop any balloons from flying. Quik Bunny, Snuggle Bear, Ronald McDonald, Garfield, and other inflated wonders would please guests as they went down Broadway. However, wind and snow proved very challenging for the handlers, managing to puncture Snoopy and Woodstock, and newcomer Bugs Bunny. Despite this, the rest of the Parade carried on with barely any more problems. Guest stars such as Jill Schultz, Robin Vaughn, Alan Rachins, the Looney Tunes cast, and many more. And as usual, Santa Claus wrapped things up to mark the start of the Christmas season.

Parade Lineup

Listed below are the Parade elements that appeared in the 1989 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 1989 procession.

Balloons

Giant Balloons

• Big Bird (Children's Television Workshop) - 2nd time
• Quik Bunny (Nestlé Foods Corporation) - 2nd time
• Woody Woodpecker (Universal Studios Hollywood) - 8th time
• Spider-Man (Marvel Comics) - 3rd time
• Ronald McDonald (McDonald's) - 3rd time
• Pink Panther (MGM/UA Communications Company, Inc.) - 2nd time
• Bugs Bunny (Warner Bros.) - 1st time
• Garfield* (United Media) - 6th time
• Snuggle (Lever Brothers Company) - 3rd time
• Snoopy & Woodstock (United Media) - 2nd time

Novelty Balloons

• Macy's Stars (Macy's) - 4th time
• Ice Cream Cone (Macy's) - 3rd time
• American Star Ornaments (Macy's) - 5th time
• Macy's Star (Macy's) - 4th time
• Geometric Ornaments (Macy's) - 5th time
• Flower Ornaments (Macy's) - 5th time
• Snow Crystals (Macy's) - 5th time
• Ice Stars (Macy's) - 3rd time
• Poinsettias (Macy's) - 5th time

Floats

• Indian Canoe (Macy's) - 4th time
• Turkey (Macy's) - 17th time
• Strawberry Cottage (Macy's) - 3rd time
• Macy Clipper (Macy's) - 4th time
• American Folk Heroes (Reynolds Metals Company) - 1st time
• Marvel Universe* (Marvel Comics) - 3rd time
• Mother Goose (Macy's) - 12th time
• Cinderella Carriage (Macy's) - 5th time
• Saggy Baggy (Macy's) - 2nd time
• Big Apple (Daily News) - 8th time
• Statue of Liberty (Good Housekeeping) - 4th time
• Watering Can (Macy's) - 5th time
• Doodlebug (Macy's) - 10th time
• Looney Tunes Birthday Celebration* (Warner Bros.) - 1st time
• Macy Flyer (Trans World Airlines) - 4th time
• Showboat (Macy's)
• Dance Club Barbie* (Mattel) - 4th time
• Holiday Clock Tower (Macy's) - 2nd time
• Peanuts Ice Rink (Metropolitan Life)
• Herald Square Express Train (Macy's) - 5th time
• Santa's Sleigh (Macy's) - 12th time

Specialty Units

• New York Police Department Motorcycle Unit - 5th time
• "Holiday Treat for Children Everywhere" Banner (Macy's) - 9th time
• Crooked Creek Stagecoach* (Macy's) - 2nd time
• Euclid Beach Rocket Car (Macy's) - 2nd time
• Big Apple Circus Wagon* (Big Apple Circus) - 1st time
• NYPD Mounted Unit - 63rd time
• "If You Haven't Seen Macy's..." Banner (Macy's) - 9th time
• NYC Parks Enforcement Mounted Patrol - 7th time
• Mickey's LiMOUSEine* (Walt Disney World Resort) - 1st time
• Aviator Bikes (Macy's) - 11th time
• North Wind Museum Environmental Trolley* (Macy's) - 1st time
• Christmas Wagon (Epismile) - 21st time

Toy Floats

• Pilgrim Man & Pilgrim Woman (Macy's) - 15th time
• Honey Bear (Macy's) - 17th time
• Rocking Kangaroo (Macy's) - 11th time
• Racing Hare (Macy's) - 3rd time
• Rocking Tortoise (Macy's) - 11th time
• George Washington & Ben Franklin (Macy's) - 15th time
• Rocking Horse (Macy's) - 30th time
• Rocking Lion (Macy's) - 11th time
• Rocking Lobster (Macy's) - 10th time
• Garden Snail (Macy's) - 14th time
• The Growing Flowers (Macy's) - 4th time

Marching Bands

• Jupiter High School Marching Warrior Band (Jupiter, FL), performed "Are You From Dixie?" and "Big Band Blow-Out"
• Jamestown High School Red Raider Marching Band (Jamestown, NY)
• Mattatuck Drum Band (Watertown, CT)
• Opelika High School Spirit of the South Marching Band (Opelika, AL)
• Franklin High School Band (Franklin, TN)
• Kilgore College Wrangler Band and Rangerettes Forever (Kilgore, TX)
• McDonald's All-American High School Band (Nationwide), performed "Conga"
• All-City High School Marching Band (New York, NY)
• Pearl City High School Charger Marching Band (Hawaii), performed "The Kohala March"
• Fairmont High School Polar Bear Band (Fairmont, WV)
• East Coweta High School Marching Indians (Sharpsburg, GA), performed "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown"
• Malden High School Golden Tornado Band (Malden, MA)
• Northview Marching Knights (Brazil, IN)
• Forest Lake Ranger Marching Band (Forest Lake, MN)

Guest Stars

• Dixie Carter, sang "Tis the Gift to Be Simple" (Indian Canoe)
• American Indian Heritage Foundation (Indian Canoe)
• Clint Black, sang "Straight from the Factory" (Turkey)
• Robert Vaughn (Strawberry Cottage)
• Chelsea Hertford (Rocking Tortoise)
• The Jets, sang "Chip 'N Dale Rescue Rangers" (Rocket Car)
• Terry Lester, sang "American the Beautiful" (Macy Clipper)
• Brigade of the American Revolution (Macy Clipper)
• Candace Cameron and Jodie Sweetin (American Folk Heroes)
• Dawnn Lewis, sang "Wind Beneath My Wings" (Horse & Dragon)
• Melba Moore, sang "Holding Out for a Hero” (Marvel Universe)
• Buddy Hackett (Mother Goose)
• Sandra Fergusen and Charles Grant (Cinderella Carriage)
• Fred Travalena as the Joker, sang "The Joker" (Saggy Baggy)
• New Kids on the Block, sang "This One's for the Children" (Big Apple)
• Dave Cone, Tommy John, and the Trumbull National Little League World Champions (Big Apple)
• Jeremy Light (Rocking Lobster)
• Miss America 1990 Debbye Turner, sang "Love at Any Length" (Statue of Liberty)
• Odetta, sang "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" (Watering Can)
• The Looney Tunes, performed "Happy Birthday, Bugs!" (Looney Tunes Birthday Celebration)
• Robin Leach and Judith Ledford (Macy Flyer)
• Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and the Long Island Bajo Society, performed "Bayou Jubilee" (Showboat)
• Telly Savalas (Northwind Museum Environmental Trolley)
• Barbie and Friends, sang "Doin' the Barbie" (Dance Club Barbie)
• Alan Rachins, sang "You're the Top" (Holiday Clock Tower)
• Jane Hanson, Katie Kelly, Perri Peltz and the New York Renaissance Festival (Holiday Clock Tower)
• Donna Kane, sang "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (Christmas Wagon)
• Jill Schulz and Amani Murray, performed "Charlie Brown Theme" (Peanuts Ice Rink)
• America Sings!, sang "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree" (Herald Square Express Train)
• Santa Claus (Santa's Sleigh)

Costumed Characters

• Mr. Potato Head
• Laurel & Hardy, Groucho Marx and Marilyn Monroe (Crooked Creek Stagecoach)
• California Dancing Raisins
• Chip 'N Dale (Rocket Car)
• Archie, Jughead, Reggie, Betty, Moose, Mr. Weatherbee and Veronica
• Paddington Bear (Rocking Horse)
• Mighty Mouse
• Ronald McDonald
• Minnie Mouse, Snow White, and Dopey (Mickey's LiMOUSEine)
• Peter Rabbit (Garden Snail)
• Charlie, Itchy and Carface
• Dancing Twin Towers
• Clifford the Big Red Dog
• Count Duckula
• Felix the Cat
• Gumby
• Macy Mouse and Honey Bear
• The Peanuts Gang (Peanuts Ice Rink)

Pre-Parade Acts

• NCA All-American Cheerleaders, performed "Strike Up the Macy's Parade"
• The Big Apple Circus, performed "Streamer Lane Breakdown"
• Kilgore College Rangerettes, performed "William Tell Overture"
• Drill Team Hawaii and St. Andrew's Priory School Drill Team, performed "Chicken Dance"
• Grand Hotel: The Musical, performed "We'll Take a Glass Together"
• Judy Kaye, sang "I Love the Macy's Parade"
• Meet Me in St. Louis, performed "Stopping Mr. Sousa"
• Scott Bakula, TADA!, NCA Superstar Dance Team, Meet Me in St. Louis, and the Kilgore Rangerettes, performed "Strike Up the Band"

Clowns

• Skating Clowns - 22nd time
• Ambulance Clowns - 4th time
• Robot Clowns - 4th time
• Rain Rag Ballet Clowns - 9th time
• Baby Clowns - 9th time
• Clown Fire Brigade - 3rd time
• Dog Catcher Clowns - 1st time

Clown Props

• Clown Ambulance - 5th time
• Glitz Jogging Wheel - 9th time
• Clown Car - 8th time
• Fire Truck - 5th time
• Fire Engine - 10th time
• Fire Pumper - 13th time
• Smoking Outhouse - 10th time
• Open Jogging Wheel - 10th time
• Bells Jogging Wheel - 10th time
• TV Props - 15th time
• Paddy Wagon - 10th time
• Dog Catcher - 10th time

Trivia

• 1989 had only one new giant balloon - Bugs Bunny. This, along with 1980, 1983 and 1985 are the only 1980s Parades with less then two new giant balloons.
• NBC's broadcast had two new hosts - Deborah Norville and ALF, replacing Sandy Duncan. This ended up making it the first telecast since 1986 to have more then two hosts.
• The 1989 Parade was dedicated to the memory of Glen Bass (son of Manfred Bass).

See also

• The 63rd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade/Gallery
• The 63rd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Marching Order