The Weirdest Floats in Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade History
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has seen everything from classic characters to full promotional spectacles drifting through Manhattan. Still, the oddballs often get lost in the nostalgia. These are the forgotten entries that once rolled or wobbled down Broadway and left behind stories that are equal parts amusing and head-scratching.
Planet of the Apes
Credit: Youtube
A float tied to the CBS series brought performers in heavy ape makeup to the parade from 1974 through 1976, with set pieces styled like the franchise’s dystopian world. Things took a turn in 1976 when the entire structure broke down at Herald Square, missing NBC’s cameras. That embarrassing stall marked the end of its brief run after only three parades.
Clock Tower and Dragon
Credit: Youtube
The makeover of the Hickory Dickory Dock float rolled out in 1987 and leaned into musical performances staged right on the moving platform. Alaina Reed Hall sang We’ll Be Together, while Bruce Weitz delivered Thou Swell to Deidre Hall from a rocking-horse platform. The concept was ambitious, but it never returned after that debut outing.
Jeeves by Ask Jeeves
Credit: X
During the height of the dot-com era, the parade made space for a search engine’s butler mascot to appear in 1999. A 16-foot version of Jeeves sat among oversized books and props that highlighted classic questions like “Why is the sky blue?”
The Good Burger Burgermobile
Credit: Youtube
In the 2023 parade with Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell, a giant burger-shaped car from Good Burger and Good Burger 2 showed up. The specialty unit featured hot dog headrests, pickle hubcaps, and French fry wipers. It tied directly to Paramount+, promoting the sequel that premiered that same week, then disappeared as quickly as it arrived.
50th Anniversary Birthday Cake Santa
Credit: Youtube
A single-year novelty in 1976 swapped the classic sleigh for a massive birthday cake to celebrate the parade’s 50th edition. The float drew from the 1972 design but added layers and frosting details. It was created for that one milestone year and never appeared again.
Motorcycle in the Sky
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Evel Knievel turned up in the 1973 parade on his bike, and by 1976, Macy’s introduced a float featuring a supersized version of his motorcycle. Robbie Knievel joined him that year to give the setup even more flair. Plans for a 1977 appearance were dropped after Evel Knievel faced assault charges.
The Loch Ness Monster
Credit: Fandom
Busch Gardens rolled out this float from 1978 through 1981 to promote its Williamsburg roller coaster. Manfred Bass designed a medieval Scottish village that traveled alongside a long green monster, with Clydesdales pulling the float. After retirement, the main dragon sculpture was repurposed on later medieval-themed floats.
Felix the Cat Balloon
Credit: Youtube
One of the earliest parade mishaps happened when a Felix the Cat balloon hit a power line in 1931. The contact set the inflatable on fire, and the balloon burned up in the street. The New York Times ran the memorable headline “Toy cat expires in blaze,” and the incident became one of the first major balloon disasters in parade history.
Tom Cat Balloon
Credit: Fandom
The 1932 parade gave Tom Cat an unexpected moment when the released balloon drifted into the path of a biplane flying over Queens. The balloon wrapped around the plane’s wing and sent it into a tailspin until it finally slipped free. The pilot regained control roughly 80 feet above the ground.
Jeeves Balloon Debut
Credit: Pinterest
When Ask Jeeves returned in 2000, the company leaned into early internet culture. The design scaled the mascot into a floating butler drifting above the route. It made history as the first balloon based on an internet character, then faded out as the company moved away from the Jeeves branding.