The 97th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has once again made its mark!
Originating on Thanksgiving Day in 1924, the parade was initially created to promote product sales during the holiday season and was originally named the Macy’s Christmas Parade. The first parade featured real animals from the Central Park Zoo, and in 1927, the iconic giant balloons made their debut, prompting the renaming of the event to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
This year’s parade was particularly entertaining, featuring numerous new floats promoting various attractions, such as the upcoming World of Wonka movie. Lasting a whopping 3 hours and 30 minutes, the parade included performances by notable artists, including Cher, Brandy, Jon Batiste, Bell Biv DeVoe, and Pentatonix, along with plenty of song and dance breaks.
For Derry Area High School, this Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was especially thrilling, as several students from the Laurel Valley Dance Academy had the opportunity to be part of the spectacle in NYC including Emma Sabo, Molly McNeal, Alyssa Wolf, Emily Laughlin, Paige Cole, and Julia Bridge.
Emma Sabo, a junior at Derry Area High School and a member of the Laurel Valley Dance Academy, expressed her excitement about the experience.
“When I found out that I was going to be in the parade, I was so excited! I just couldn’t believe that we were actually about to perform in the parade!” exclaimed Sabo.
One thing she was particularly thankful for was her spot near the sidewalk, providing a close-up view of the enthusiastic crowd and the numerous news cameras capturing the event.
After walking 2 and a half miles, the anticipation built up as the dancers approached their performance spot.
“We walked a total of 2 1/2 miles, but it felt like it was only 10 minutes. Then it was our turn to perform. We had to run onto the green platform, and we heard the camera guy count down from 10 and tell everybody to make some noise,” Sabo recalled. “Pretty soon, our music started, and then all of a sudden, it was go time.”
In the grand tapestry of the 97-year history of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, this year’s edition not only enthralled the masses but also provided a cherished memory for the talented students of the Laurel Valley Dance Academy.
While the performance lasted only a couple of minutes, Emma and her fellow dancers thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
“It was such a wonderful experience, and I was so grateful that I got to be a part of an amazing thing. All of my friends that went with me all did so well!” exclaimed Sabo.
“I think that I’m still in disbelief that this actually happened!”
