What is the largest Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon ever?

In 1986, a balloon belonging to Popeye’s wife Olive Oyl carrying their baby Swee’Pea currently holds the record as the tallest balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade at 102 feet tall. “For the first time, 102-foot-long Olive Oyl will carry a new 27-foot-long balloon bouquet in her left hand and cradle the adorable Swee’Pea in her right hand.” The New York Times wrote in 1986. “The Balloon Child makes his debut this year and is 30 feet tall.”

In second place is a Superman balloon from the 1980 parade, standing 80 feet tall, according to Scholastic.

The tallest balloon in the 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is Minnie Mouse, a brand new balloon that stands 60 feet tall and 34 feet wide, according to Macy’s.

One of the widest balloons is actually a brand new addition to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2024. The Gabby Balloon, inspired by the popular children’s television series Gabby’s dollhousee is 66.5 feet wide, or “as wide as 10 taxicabs,” according to Macy’s 2024 lineup.

Previously, a Woody Woodpecker balloon was known as the widest Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon. An article from 1982 Fort Meyers News Press notes that at 45 feet wide, the Woody Woodpecker balloon was the “widest balloon the parade has ever had.”

The very first balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was Felix the Cat, which debuted 97 years ago in 1927. At the end of the parade, Felix was released into the sky and quickly burst open, according to the statement TIME. While the original Felix exploded, the character has returned several times, most recently in 2016 for the parade’s 90th anniversary.

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In 2024, Santa’s sleigh will be the largest float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The wagon on which Santa is pulled by his trusty team of reindeer is 60 feet long, 22 feet wide and 3.5 stories high. The float is traditionally the last in the line-up and marks the end of the parade.