The Toy Blocks, formerly known as the Alphabet Block Clowns, are a unit of clowns from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
History in the Macy's Parade[]
The Alphabet Block Clowns made their first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade appearance in the 1993 Parade. Designed by Martha Hally, the clown group featured an array of colorful toy block clowns, who in correct formation, could wish Parade viewers a "Happy Thanksgiving!", or "Macy's Parade". The group was led by the namesake Professor, who kept his toy blocks in line en route to 34th Street.
The Professor would later join a group of clowns known as the Class Clowns in the 2000 Parade, leaving the Alphabet Blocks to form their own group. Beginning in 2006, the toy blocks would join clowns dressed in bonnets of pink and blue, forming the Pre-K Clown unit. The blocks were separated from this group in 2012, where they gained their current "Toy Blocks" name.
The Toy Blocks returned to the Parade's line of march for the 2017 Macy's Parade, now sporting new costumes. The costumes had been recycled from the first Hi-Roller Skating Clown outfits, and the toy blocks were constructed out of lightweight wood as opposed to foam, mirroring the look of a real-life toy block.
In 2022, five of the Toy Block costumed were added to the Macy's Parade Brigade Clowns. In 2023, the group returned as a standalone clown unit known as the Alphabet Clowns.