The Toy Soldier is a vintage balloon that appeared in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
History of the Balloon
The Soldier first appeared in the 1950 Parade, Although he debuted in 1950, it is a common misconception that he debuted when the balloons were introduced in 1927, as mentioned in various claims by Macy's, such as virtual history simulators. The Toy Soldier became an instant staple of the Parade, having made on-and-off-again appearances until he was finally retired after the 1958 Parade.
After nearly 40 years of absence, the Toy Soldier returned to the line of march in 2001, this time as an all-new novelty balloon to help celebrate the Parade's 75th anniversary. This balloon is different than the previous, in that it has a redder color scheme and a different design to his hat. The recreation was retired after the 2006 Parade and has yet to make a comeback.
This re-creation also made appearances at the Macy's Holiday Parade at Universal Orlando Resort, and despite his retirement from the main parade after 2006, he continued to appear at Universal until 2012.
Incidents
- In 1953, the original balloon deflated overnight and was replaced by the Crocodile.
