The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has announced the new additions to this years event. For the 79th annual Macy's Parade, four new character balloons and a specially created work of flying art take to the sky on Thanksgiving Day. The new balloons include Nickelodeon's DORA THE EXPLORER, United States Potato Board's Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD, Disney Channel's JOJO'S CIRCUS and Warner Bros.' SCOOBY-DOO, as well as, a new novelty sized balloon designed by world-renowned artist Tom Otterness, Macy's Parade Humpty Dumpty. The following are fun factoids about each of the Parade's new balloons.
Filled with 14,250 cubic feet of helium, Dora measures 43.5 feet in length, 39 feet in width and 55 feet tall. On Thanksgiving, Dora will explore the Big Apple traveling from Central Park to Herald Square. With her friends Backpack and Map along, Dora will wave to the crowds below as she is guided by 51 balloon handlers.
Sprouting a new healthy lifestyle that's more in keeping with his nutritious nature, and wearing the running gear to back it up, the brand new Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD is gearing up for his sprint down Broadway. At 43 feet long, 37 feet wide and 42.3 feet tall, Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD comes in at a lean-mean 529 pounds. With his newly developed muscles and positive attitude, Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD is promoting the importance of a balanced diet, which of course should include the chock-full-of-vitamins, potato.
In her very first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Jojo will also be the first balloon to feature "movement" juggling. Three colorful ball shaped balloons fly to create Jojo's juggling motion. The vibrant JOJO'S CIRCUS balloon measures 55 feet long, 32 feet wide and 63.3 feet high and is filled with 14,000 cubic feet of helium.
Running down the Great White Way after his favorite Scooby Snacks, Scooby will not only debut as a giant helium balloon this year, but he will also serve as Macy's very-own Holiday ambassador bringing the joy of the season to millions of children of all ages. At 43 feet long, 37 feet wide, 42.3 feet tall, Scooby-Doo is filled with 13, 200 cubic feet of helium. Wearing his trademark teal collar with "SD" initials, Scooby-Doo will be flown down Broadway by 52 handling lines.
This year, Macy's worked with world-renowned artist Tom Otterness, known for his whimsical sculptures, to create a Parade work of art. Captured in mid-fall and floating high above the crowd, Humpty Dumpty will delight over 2.5 million live spectators along the route as a Macy's Parade novelty balloon during his big debut. Humpty is approximately 33 feet tall, 27 feet wide, 20 feet long and filled with thousands of cubic feet of helium.
In addition, new floats will appears for Cartoon Network's HI HI PUFFY AMIYUMI and Warner Home Video's THE POLAR EXPRESS.
For the HI HI PUFFY AMIYUMI float, the duo is featured on this rocking tour bus as larger-than-life puppets and on the driver's seat is the girls' manager, Kaz. Oversized instruments and travel stickers from the stars' favorite performance stops adorn the bus. Performing one of their hit songs, the real life Ami and Yumi will also appear on the float.
THE POLAR EXPRESS, which also arrives on DVD and Imax just in time for the holidays. The float, a fantastic recreation of the famous train churns down Broadway on Parade Day with Brian McKnight on board, who'll perform the film's signature song, "Believe."
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will be broadcast live on NBC from 9:00 to 12:00 noon. For more information on the 79th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, call Macy's Parade Hotline at (212) 494-4495 or visit www.macysparade.com.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
