New York gets all the glitz and glory for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. But Philly’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is actually the oldest in the country.
This yearly affair features marching bands, dancers and Santa strutting down the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and has attracted plenty of local onlookers over the last several decades. It also usually has Mummers, because Philly.
So enjoy your Turkey Day, and watch these 11 videos to remember some of the Thanksgiving Day Parades Philadelphia has hosted over the years:
1957
The Gimbel’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia went down Broad Street in the 1950’s, and this clip shows footage of floats, police officers riding down the street and, yep, a Mummer string band.
1983
CBS national correspondents Audrey Landers, a Philly native, and Robert Foxworth broadcast live from the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1983. This clip shows the Eagles cheerleaders dancing in front of the Art Museum.
1984
This 6ABC teaser commercial shows anchors Dave Roberts and Lisa Thomas Laury getting ready for the Gimbel’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
‘1980-something’
This video from the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade is just labeled as taking place in “1980-something,” but features the Governor Mifflin High School Marching Band and voice-overs from the anchors during the parade.
1990
The best part of this coverage of the Thanksgiving Day parade is the graphic that shows the parade route via an illustration of a turkey running around on a map. Also the TV reporters struggling to pronounce “Choctawhatchee.”
1999
In which Good Morning America throws to WPVI’s Cecily Tynan, who is live from the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade and introduces the nation to the Ferko String Band of Mummers.
2001
It’s a Scooby Doo balloon! This clip comes from WPVI’s live show from the early aughts.
2007
This parade view features that Lakeville North High School Band that came all the way from Minnesota. Also Santa and a very excited Matt O’Donnell.
2008
This clip from the Action News broadcast in 2008 shows a high school marching band from Delaware marching past the Art Museum.
2010
Rick Williams and Cecily Tynan ran the show in 2010 on 6ABC for the IKEA Thanksgiving Day Parade and are seen here for the opening numbers of the parade.
2014
Last but not least, this clip was from last year’s Dunkin Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade and show the opening routine live on the Parkway. Oh, and Lance Bass was there.
