Picture this: You just woke up on the morning of Thanksgiving Day, and you plod into the living room to turn on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as you eat breakfast and prepare yourself for a day of feasting ahead.
The annual New York City parade has been broadcast since 1924, but we’re turning this 100-year-old tradition on its head by re-imagining it to be entirely Lakeland-themed. Step aside, Al, Savannah, and Hoda — we’ll take it from here.
While the classic parade usually begins with performers from Broadway shows, our version would tap into Lakeland’s vibrant arts scene with performances from Lakeland Community Theatre, including the star Out of the Box troupe.
No parade is complete without marching bands. We’d call on the bands from each of Lakeland’s high schools, which you’ll often find marching in the annual Lakeland Christmas Parade. Most recently, the George Jenkins High School “Dream Maker” Band won the parade’s Most Outstanding Band award.
What would you do if you saw a giant Pub Sub flying overhead?
Photo via Macy’s Event Media + Publix
Now for the main event — the floats + balloons. While the Thanksgiving Day Parade is known for flying characters like Snoopy, Mickey Mouse, Felix the Cat, and Tom Turkey, our version would include one of Lakeland’s beloved swans, Blinky the Alligator, a larger-than-life Pub Sub, and Southpaw, the mascot of the Lakeland Flying Tigers.
True parade fans who stick around to the very end know that the Thanksgiving Day Parade concludes with a visit from Santa Claus. But in our version, we’d call on Sheriff Grady Judd, complete with a 7-Up and moon pie, of course.
So, did we hit the nail on the head or ruffle any feathers? Let us know what else you’d include in a Lakeland version of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade — we just might include your answer in a future newsletter.
