After a pandemic pause where the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was closed to the public, the annual tradition is returning to the streets of New York with some new, yet familiar, faces.
"The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is synonymous with those surprise-and-delight moments, those opportunities to just, at a glance know it, see it, love it," said Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade executive producer Will Coss.
In addition to 10 marching bands, dozens of floats, 30 heritage balloons, and five other newcomers, one creature from a galaxy far, far away is joining the festivities, courtesy of toy manufacturer Funko. Coming in at 41 feet tall, 29 feet long, and 37 feet wide, the Funko Pop!-inspired Grogu balloon, from The Mandalorian, will make his debut this year.
"One of the few pieces of content that was amazing [during the pandemic] was The Mandalorian, and Baby Yoda is such a cultural icon," said Funko CEO Brian Mariotti.
This is Funko's first year in the parade, which had its start in 1924. Balloons weren't introduced until 1927 when they replaced real animals that had been on loan from the Central Park Zoo. Now the balloons are one of the iconic parts of the event, which is celebrating its 95th time around the block this year. (The parade was canceled for several years during World War II.)
"It's just a wonderful achievement for a very small company to get to this point," Mariotti said of his collectibles business. "It just speaks to how hard the entire company's worked and just gave everything they've given. They are so passionate about the business of pop culture."
Each helium-filled attraction floats through the streets with a team of handlers. Because of the pandemic, teams have been reduced to about 25 people, though in a typical year each balloon can have approximately 80 people guiding it.
Funko creative director Reis O'Brien, who led the team that designed the balloon, has watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade every year since he was a kid.
"I've always loved the balloons and the floats, and so I know if I was in the shoes of a Star Wars fan that wasn't involved in the project, as soon as I'd see that coming down the street, I would just be flabbergasted," he said.
Designing something at such a large scale that is not made of a firm plastic was different from the traditional vinyl Funko Pops figures he usually works on.
"I had to stop myself from thinking of it as a plastic product that you would have on a shelf, and I had to imagine myself on the streets in New York looking up or at home watching it on the screen on TV and thinking of those angles," O'Brien said.
Macy's Coss, a Bronx native who also grew up watching the parade in person, hoped that the new additions this year will bring that magical feeling that he has come to love about the parade.
"Everyone has their own unique relationship to it, and one of the best parts of my job is talking to folks, hearing that story, hearing that memory," he said.
Updated November 22, 221 at 4:15 pm ET with full name of new Funko Pop!-inspired Grogu balloon.
