So, You Love A Parade!

The Truth About Participating In America’s Most Popular Marching Spectacles.

Thanksgiving gets most people thinking about turkey, but for band directors, it can get them thinking of something else: The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Maybe you’ve marched in it. Maybe you’ve only seen it on TV. Either way, we wanted to share what it’s really like to participate in this parade and others like it.

To do so, we sat down with Jennie Gulley, Green Light’s Tour Manager Coordinator and 2-time Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade attendee who’s helped countless student performance groups participate in parades all over the country. 

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

You know the scene: the towering skyscrapers of Manhattan. The jovial crowds of people and of course, the huge balloons. It’s American nostalgia to the max and the country’s preeminent parade. So when you march in this parade, you’ll notice how well organized it is, but there still might be a few surprises. 

“You get a representative from Macy’s and they’re with you quite a bit.” Gulley said. “They’ll show you where to practice and even where to eat breakfast and lunch sometimes. The thing that surprises people is how early you start and how long you wait on the day of the event. In years past we’ve been there between six and seven AM and have waited about two and a half hours before marching.”

Of course there’s a lot of celebrities featured in this parade. So even when you’re waiting, you never know who you might be standing next to.

“One year my group was staged next to Shawn Mendes. Because of our spot time, they stood next to him for over an hour and talked to him.”

Watching The Parade

Performers may have to stand and endure the elements, but what about your adults who want to watch? When your hotel is on the parade route, watching the parade becomes a whole lot easier.

“Usually when you do Macy’s it’s recommended you stay at a hotel on the parade route. This makes it very relaxed, actually.” Gulley said.

Being on the parade route means, in some cases, viewers can watch from their hotel rooms or at least be able to rest until the time they want to go down to watch. Additionally, the event itself is not prone to people camping out.

“With other parades, sometimes people will get there at the crack of dawn to camp out to save their seats. It’s not like that with this one. People move very freely. They’ll leave and go get a coffee and come back. Everyone is coming and going.” Gulley said.

Tourists In, Locals Out

The parade also changes the dynamic of the city, which impacts your parade experience and your trip on the whole.

“They shut down a lot of the streets around 5th avenue because of how many people want to be in town around then.” Gulley said. 

However, when there is an increase in tourists, New Yorkers will usually stay away.

“Locals stay away, or they’ve gone out of town. So the city is actually pretty quiet which makes it really nice to be in New York around that time. If you’re not on 5th Avenue, the rest of the city is pretty quiet.” Gulley said. “I actually really like Thanksgiving Day after the parade ends. We’ll usually have some rest time and then go out for Thanksgiving dinner, then maybe do some Black Friday shopping. It’s all pretty peaceful.”

What About Other Parades?

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is very popular, but it’s not your band’s only option. Thankfully the calendar is full of incredible parade options for your consideration.

Chicago’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade

“I love the St. Patty’s Parade (In Chicago)!” Gulley exclaimed. “Especially since we usually carve out time to see the river dyed green.”

The vibes are different from Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. Start with the fact that instead of an international department store brand organizing the event, this parade is organized by the Irish Plumbers’ Association. 

“It’s just a little more casual (than Macy’s), which is also nice. But what it lacks in seriousness it makes up for in heart. People get so into it. Everyone is decked out. It’s a lot of fun.” Gulley said.

The parade has also evolved over the years to become more family-friendly. 

“They now have organized road closures. It’s heavily policed. You’re not allowed to have alcohol. There are really no downsides for student groups.” Gulley said.

New Orleans’ Mardi Gras

Given the party culture that New Orleans is famous for, Mardi Gras is also prone to misconceptions about what it’s like for student bands to participate.

“It’s not all on Bourbon Street. The Garden and Business Districts have very family-friendly, daytime parades. My favorite is right outside the World War II Museum, actually.” Gulley explained.

As far as continuous live music from an incredible breadth of genres, Mardis Gras simply can’t be beat. Seriously, where else in the country can you hear live zydeco? Of course Mardi Gras is also rightfully renowned for its bead toss tradition and extremely decorative floats.

Pasadena’s Rose Bowl Parade

The Rose Bowl Parade is famous for a visual spectacle that rivals the giant balloons of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: the floral floats. Seeing these floats made entirely of flower petals is so mind-blowing, it’s enough to make the whole event worth it. But it’s also a fantastic parade to march in.

“This was the most well-organized event I’ve ever been a part of. They have their step-off times down to the minute.” Gulley said.

One thing that people usually don’t anticipate about the Rose Bowl Parade is how cold it can be. Even though it’s in southern California, New Year’s Day will usually be colder there than most expect. Warm clothes are advised.

The List Goes On

Philadelphia has a Thanksgiving Day parade known as the Mummers Parade. This is a top-tier alternative to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade if your band is determined to march on Thanksgiving, but unable to do so in New York City. Washington D.C. has its Cherry Blossom Festival Parade which continues to grow in size and popularity every year, and of course Disney World in Orlando, Florida offers parade options for student performance groups almost every day of the year.

Getting Accepted

It should be mentioned that getting accepted to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Rose Bowl Parade is quite difficult. All other parades profiled in this article are far more attainable. Take this into consideration when weighing out which of these parades may be the best one for your band.

Parting Thoughts

When marching in a major holiday parade, though it’s tempting to try to squeeze in a lot of activity on your trip, your band could benefit from the parade being the focal point. 

“Especially with Macy’s and St. Patty’s in Chicago, give yourself some breathing room, because it’s exhausting. You’re up early, outside a lot, practices, check-ins. Plan casual, flexible things to compliment parades of that stature. I wouldn’t try to do a full tour of New York City or Chicago on parade day.” Gulley said.

No matter how your parade adventures unfold, we’re happy it’s something bands are passionate about. Thankfully, there are not only iconic options like Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but an abundance of other opportunities year-round as well.

 

Now is the time to plan your next band trip! Consider a multitude of other destinations to excite and enrich your performance groups in the upcoming year. Green Light loves to see groups traveling, performing, and reaching their goals, and we’re happy to assist in that process however possible.

Green Light Group Tours is providing this FREE download of tried-and-true tips and suggestions for creating the best travel experience ever! Instant download available HERE. Ready to request a quote for your next band trip? You can do that HERE.

Special thanks to our business partners Green Light Group Tours and Jennie Gulley & Erik Young for this article. Green Light specializes in exciting and educational travel experiences for your student