Tiptoe is a character created for Macy’s Holiday Celebrations in 2021. She is a bright-eyed and lovable North Pole reindeer who despite dreaming of joining Santa’s Sleigh team, is too shy to fly. Her best friends, Polar Bear and Penguin, create a flying machine (the Barometrically Elevating Levitation Instigation Engine with Vehicular Enhancement, or B.E.L.I.E.V.E. for short) to help Tiptoe overcome her fears. She takes off but, unbeknownst to her, the machine malfunctions and leaves her flying by herself, revealing that all she had to do to achieve her dream was believe.
Since her debut in Tiptoe & The Flying Machine, Tiptoe has become the ambassador for Macy’s Holiday Celebrations and appears annually in the Holiday Windows and Thanksgiving Day Parade.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
Tiptoe debuted in the 2021 Parade as the first-ever balloon puppet in Parade history.[1] The balloon, built by Airena Inflatable Art, stands 17 feet tall and is puppeteered by 11 members of the Phantom Limb Company, who help bob her head and move her legs as she encourages spectators to believe in themselves.
During its debut, the balloon was joined by “Tiptoe’s North Pole,” a float featuring Polar Bear and Penguin celebrating the holidays in their North Pole home; augmented reality effects of snowflakes and snow crystals added to the winter wonderland scene on the NBC telecast. Tiptoe also appeared on the back of Santa’s Sleigh, equipped with the B.E.L.I.E.V.E.
In 2022, Tiptoe was part of a performance number featuring the Fusion Winter Guard. The following year, an all-star group entitled Tiptoe’s Winter Guard was specially assembled for the Parade, featuring color and winter guard performers representing eight states. However, Tiptoe was absent on the route and started her march at 37th Street,[2] as organizers feared the balloon would cause the remaining elements to fall behind as it had done previously.[3]
References[]
- ↑ 2023 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon Lineup. MacysEventMedia.com. November 1, 2023.
- ↑ Tiptoe Winter Guard - Ensemble Innovations. EnsembleInnovations.com.
- ↑ DM conversation with performer of Tiptoe's Winter Guard. January 4, 2024.
