NEW YORK – The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade is held annually in New York City. Headed by Macy’s, the largest department store company by retail sales in the United States, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade has been a beloved tradition since its start 100 years ago, as of November 27th, 1924. The parade has featured many similarly cherished icons in the form of parade floats, including the fictional character of Snoopy, first featured in the cartoonist Charles M. Schulz’s comic strip Peanuts. He has the most balloon variants of any character.
Snoopy himself is an anthropomorphic beagle owned by the main character of Peanuts, Charlie Brown. He is incredibly loyal, as well as imaginative, with an interest in writing. He has several personas, including the Flying Ace, a WWI aviator, and Joe Cool, which Snoopy imagined in order to tag along with his owner and friends to school, despite being “too cool” for school.
Snoopy’s first float was in 1967 and lasted until a year later in 1968 called “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” a phrase often used by Charlie Brown’s friends. The float includes Snoopy on top of his red dog house, Charlie Brown, Linus, Charlie Brown’s best friend, and Linus’s older sister, Lucy. However, Snoopy was replaced the year after its debut with a sign saying “Gone Flying.”
Based on a popular pocket doll that existed at the time, Snoopy’s next float was of him as the Flying Ace. The 50-foot balloon ran from 1969-1985. The balloon survived being torn open after being carried away by heavy rainfall and onto a tractor-trailer but was inactive for that year in 1971, as well as being damaged by a shard of glass and retired after 1982, although it would return one last time in 1985.
In response to the public concern toward Snoopy’s absence, a brand new Snoopy balloon would debut in 1987 of Snoopy ice-skating. It was one of the first balloons to incorporate sound and would play a track of Snoopy laughing as it skated all the way down 34th Street and is a record height of 62 feet.
Snoopy & Woodstock (1988-1995) features the icon duo of Snoopy and his best friend, Woodstock, a small yellow bird with a cowlick wearing Macy’s brand winter wear, including sweaters, hats, and earmuffs. The duo would unfortunately suffer the same fate as many balloons like them before, Snoopy falling victim to a pole outside of the Macy’s department store and having his face torn open.
Millenium Snoopy was named Macy’s Ambassador in 1999 and was replaced by his owner in 2002. Millenium Snoopy is depicted as lying on his stomach and wearing a jester-like party hat.
In 2006, aviator Snoopy would make its return as Flying Ace Snoopy, fully fitted with his red scarf and a pair of binoculars. The balloon was accompanied by a recreation of his dog house and Woodstock. The float was retired after the 2011 parade after it was damaged by rain.
Once again, the pair of best friends make an appearance together in the 2013 float Snoopy & Woodstock, although they are without their Macy’s merchandise. The balloon was used officially until 2019 but was replaced in the parade itself in 2016 by a float of costumed versions of the Peanuts characters.
Snoopy would make his grand return in 2019 as astronaut Snoopy, lasting until 2022. The float commemorated the 5oth anniversary of the Moon Landing.
The most recent Snoopy balloon as of 2023 is Beagle Scout Snoopy, celebrating the 50th Beagle Scout anniversary and is reported to return in the 2024 parade. The ballon features Snoopy in a Beagle Scouts uniform, as well as Woodstock, nestled comfortably in his hat.
