The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is one of the most revered parts of this American holiday. Known for its floats of famous mascots and cartoon characters, Bluey joined that roster last year to the delight of millions around the world. This marked the first time an Australian animated series was ever featured as part of the show, making it an even bigger milestone than many realized.
This year, Bluey got the call to visit New York and do it one more time. Returning for the 97th annual parade, there were no issues this time, providing us with the perfect location for Bluey to play the world’s largest game of Keepy Uppy.
This Episode of Bluey is Called “Thanksgiving”
In 2022, Bluey had a spectacular debut during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City… except for one mistake. While the pup had a successful first flight without any major problems, the commentary team had a big one. The CBS broadcast team misgendered Bluey as a “he” instead of “she,” a moment that had Bluey fans on social media in an uproar.
Even with that epic flub, everything else went as smooth as a Stumpfest, and proved to be so popular that Bluey was brought back for the 2023 edition. Only this time, she wasn’t coming alone.
As we learned through the official Bluey website, this year’s float included a new addition. A giant red balloon was paired with the Heeler pup for her to play with the entire borough of Manhattan. Based on the “Keepy Uppy” episode from Season 1, fans of the show were enamored with this concept. Granted, they couldn’t actually play Keepy Uppy with her, on account of this balloon being around 20 feet long, but it’s the thought that counts.
To make this year’s Bluey float, it required over 50 gallons of blue paint to cover the over 50-foot long canine. Handlers were clad in Blue outfits matching the colors of this Australian animated canine, aside from the darker caps to help keep them warm during their frigid journey.
Joining the balloon handling team this year for Bluey was the Simonett family, who explained how the people holding the floats have to attend training events before the big day.
“Our practice – granted it was the worst weather it could be before they would cancel the balloons – but it was not as easy as it looks on TV,” explained Meghan Simonett to WTHR.
Luckily, the weather was on the Simonett’s side as well as the entire amazing group keeping Bluey from floating away. The official Bluey TikTok account shared their own point of view of the balloon’s trip, and while it’s a ton of work to march the streets of New York holding a massive float from soaring into space, it also looks like an unforgettable experience.
Each year, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade takes place in Manhattan, NYC, on a parade route over two miles long that ends near the Macy’s flagship location in Herald Square. Over 3.5 million spectators were expected to line the streets for this year’s event, with over 50 million watching from the comfort of their home around the United States.
It’ll be hard for Bluey to top this if they get brought back for 2024, and I certainly hope they do. While the series still has a long ways to go before being as prolific as Sesame Street, Snoopy, or Mickey Mouse’s involvement in the event, making it for two back-to-back parade is an enormous achievement. Cross your paws that the Heelers make the third time a charm – and perhaps this time, another member of the family can come along to play!
