Incidents and Injuries
- In 1927, a Felix The Cat balloon caught in some telephone wires and caught fire. The fire was put out, but Felix was removed from the parade.
- In 1957, a Popeye the Sailor balloon's hat filled with water during heavy rain, which caused the balloon to go off-course and pour water on the crowd.
- In 1982, the Bullwinkle balloon sprang a catastrophic nose leak just a few blocks shy of the finish line.
- In 1985, the Kermit the Frog balloon tore at the stomach. No one was injured.
- In 1986, a Raggedy Ann balloon crashed into a lamppost and sent a lamp into the street. The same year, a Superman balloon had its hand torn off by a tree. Neither incident caused any injuries.
- In 1993, high winds pushed the Rex the Dinosaur balloon into a street light and caused his head to pop and the Sonic the Hedgehog balloon crashed into a lamppost at Columbus Circle and injured an off-duty police officer.
- In 1994, the Barney balloon tore its side on a lamppost, but no one was injured.
- In 1995, the Dudley the Dragon balloon that was leading the parade was speared and deflated on a lamppost and showered glass on the crowd below.
- In 1997, high winds pushed the Cat in the Hat balloon into a lamppost. The falling debris struck a parade-goer, fracturing her skull and leaving her in a coma for a month. Size rules were implemented the next year, eliminating larger balloons like the Cat in the Hat. The same high winds also caused the New York City Police Department to stab and stomp down the Barney balloon over crowd concerns. They also stabbed a Pink Panther balloon for the same reason. Neither of the last two balloons actually caused any injuries.
- in 2000, Rocky wasn't seen on Bullwinkle, Rocky deflated during the inflation.
- In 2005, the M&M's chocolate candies balloon caught on a streetlight in Times Square. Two sisters were struck by falling debris, suffering minor injuries. As a result, new safety rules were introduced. Those rules came in handy for the 2006 parade, as balloons were lowered because of rain and high winds. The M&M's balloon was retired after 2006, and replaced by a float saluting Broadway theatre and musicals.
- In 2008, a Keith Haring-inspired balloon hit the NBC Broadcast Booth, and the telecast briefly went off the air until repairs could be made.
- In 2010, high winds pushed the SpongeBob SquarePants balloon into a lampost, but it was freed.
- In 2011, the Kool Aid Man balloon was tipped over when it became deflated.
- In 2012, the Buzz Lightyear balloon tore a massive hole on his helmet and was caught on tape near a river.
Also in 2012, the SpongeBob balloon wasn't inflated well; a hole was blasted out from inside. The Pikachu Balloon's ears were not inflated well, but none of the balloons did anything wrong in the parade.
Read more about this topic: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Famous quotes containing the words incidents and/or injuries:
“An element of exaggeration clings to the popular judgment: great vices are made greater, great virtues greater also; interesting incidents are made more interesting, softer legends more soft.”
—Walter Bagehot (1826–1877)
“Men are not only apt to forget the kindnesses and injuries that have been done them, but which is a great deal more, they hate the persons that have obliged them, and lay aside their resentments against those that have used them ill. The trouble of returning favors and revenging wrongs is a slavery, it seems, which they can very hardly submit to.”
—François, Duc De La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680)