Photos: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Through The Years

November 27, 2014

The Associated Press

A giant turkey float squeezes between buildings as the 31st annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1957. (John Lindsay/AP)

The nationally televised Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year includes six new giant balloons including Thomas the Tank Engine, Paddington bear and the Red Mighty Morphin Power Ranger. The annual event brings out throngs of people along its midtown Manhattan parade route, ending in front of the store's flagship location.

Here's a look back at floats throughout the parade's 88-year history.

A Captain Nemo float makes its way down the street during the 1929 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. (AP)

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade passes down Broadway in 1930. The parade's first giant balloons debuted in 1927. (AP)

A float of a big cat makes its way down a street during the 1931 Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. (AP)

Superman rises over Times Square to lead the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1940. (AP)

A balloon of a comic fireman in 1948. (John Rooney/AP)

The Radio City Music Hall's Rockettes perform in the 1958 parade. (AP Photo/John Lindsay)

Helium-filled Popeye balloon floats above some of the 1.3 million people who came out for the 1959 parade. (AP)

Former child film star Shirley Temple and her children ride a float in the 1959 parade. (AP)

Comedian Jimmy Durante rides on a Jumbo the elephant float during the 1962 parade. (AP)

A new Humpty Dumpty balloon, followed by a redesigned Olive Oyl holding Swee' Pea, floats down Broadway in 1986. (Ron Frehm/AP)

Garfield the Cat floats above a marching band on Broadway in the 1986 parade. (Ron Frehm/AP)

Handlers of Sesame Street's Big Bird -- a new addition in 1988 -- get the balloon in position for its debut. (Mark Lennihan/AP)

Bart Simpson makes his debut on his skateboard in the 1990 parade. (Bebeto Matthews/AP)

Kermit the Frog droops after a puncture in his head in 1991. (Mark D. Phillips/AP)

The Rugrats balloon floats through New York's Times Square during the 1997 parade. (Adam Nadel/AP)

A giant Snoopy balloon is marched through Columbus Circle during the 87th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2013. (John Minchillo/AP)