The Disturbing Thanksgiving Parade Balloons of Yesteryear

Predictions of strong winds and frigid temperatures may keep many people from attending this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, providing ample opportunity to explore Philip Bump's collection of creepy balloons from years past.

1 minute read

November 28, 2013, 7:00 AM PST

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


"There was a time when the balloons in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade weren't inflated billboards for terrible movies and cartoons," observes Bump. "Eighty years ago, the balloons were instead weird animals and dead-eyed people — suggesting that, for once, the dominance of marketing might have been a good thing."

Bump's photo collection presents some of the disturbing animals, creep humans, and mysterious objects floating in the sky during the parade's early years. 

Tuesday, November 26, 2013 in The Atlantic Cities

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