I read somewhere (don’t ask where, I can’t remember), that for the first few years they let the balloons go at the end of the parade. Sometimes they’d get them back, sometimes not. Didn’t take them long to figure out that was way too expensive and they started keeping them year to year.
Yes, they used to let them go and whoever brought one (or a part of one) in got a prize. My dad told me about it. There used to be a lot less balloons in those days (remember it was a local NYC parade then). One of them did something, I forget what, in NJ and that was why they stopped.
In the “old days” Macy’s paid for the balloons and everything in the parade. At sometime, I think I noticed it around the 1980’s, they started having other companies “sponsor” floats and balloons – in other words the balloons are paid advertisements as are many of the floats these days for other companies such as the “Hello Kitty” balloon being paid for by Sanrio which holds the trademark on Hello Kitty.
QuietStorm27 about 9 years ago
She knows her son. :-)
Comic Minister Premium Member about 9 years ago
Sorry Eddie.
Lyons Group, Inc. about 9 years ago
What did he thought they do with them?
Thomas & Tifffany Connolly about 9 years ago
I wanted one, too!
Liverlips McCracken Premium Member about 9 years ago
Drat! Foiled again!
Saucy1121 Premium Member about 9 years ago
I read somewhere (don’t ask where, I can’t remember), that for the first few years they let the balloons go at the end of the parade. Sometimes they’d get them back, sometimes not. Didn’t take them long to figure out that was way too expensive and they started keeping them year to year.
mafastore about 9 years ago
Yes, they used to let them go and whoever brought one (or a part of one) in got a prize. My dad told me about it. There used to be a lot less balloons in those days (remember it was a local NYC parade then). One of them did something, I forget what, in NJ and that was why they stopped.
In the “old days” Macy’s paid for the balloons and everything in the parade. At sometime, I think I noticed it around the 1980’s, they started having other companies “sponsor” floats and balloons – in other words the balloons are paid advertisements as are many of the floats these days for other companies such as the “Hello Kitty” balloon being paid for by Sanrio which holds the trademark on Hello Kitty.