Dolly Parton to Lead Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2007

Dolly will be on the lead float to perform the song live and on television during the morning parade. “Better Get to Livin’” is the first single from Backwoods Barbie, her first mainstream country album in more than 17 years due out February 5. She wrote nine of the songs for the album and produced the CD with bandleader and guitarist Kent Wells.

“I’ve always dreamed of doing the Macy’s parade,” Dolly said. “I guess I don’t get to watch it this year though…I’ll have to tape it!”

Dolly plans to tour in the U.S. starting in February, then hitting Europe in the summer before returning to the U.S. for dates expected into December 2008. - Source: Twang Nation

Balloon inflation

Macy's Thanksgiving day parade balloons are big part of the event.

The balloons for the parade are inflated the day before (Wednesday) on both sides of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The balloons are split between 77th and 81st Streets between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue. The inflation team consists of various volunteers from Macy's as well as students from Stevens Institute of Technology, a local university in Hoboken, NJ where the balloons and floats are designed and built. The inflation is open to the public the afternoon and night before the parade.

Balloon Facts

* The largest balloon to be in the parade was Superman.

* The first female character balloon in the parade was Olive Oyl in 1982.

* The Eddie Cantor balloon is the only balloon to be modeled after a living person.

* The Clifford the Big Red Dog balloon is the only one said to be life-sized.

* Sonic the Hedgehog (character) was the first video game character to have a balloon modeled after it, with its debut in 1993's parade.

* Little Bill was the first African American character to have a balloon based after him.

* Dora The Explorer was the first Latino character to have a balloon based after her.

* Snoopy is the character with the most balloons made after him, having 6 balloons

* One year the wind was so strong the Barney balloon flew away from the rest of the parade.

* The first balloon in the first Macy's day parade was Felix the Cat. - Source: Wikipedia