2008-11-29

Macy's Holiday Parade in Seattle

Once again, the GF and I got up at 7:30 AM the day after Thanksgiving. We didn't line up for the sales (I've served my time in retail). We got up for the annual Holiday parade in Seattle.

Sometimes I wonder why. It doesn't change much from one year to the next. And I'm still busy digesting dinner from the day before. More sleep would be nice. But I can't stay away. And so once again we made the treck a few blocks downtown to see high school students in short skirts, or holding their lips to large metal objects, plush sheep dogs, people in silly costumes, and unicyclists as they wandered the streets of Seattle in an organzied fashion.

And we waited to get hit in the face with thrown candy.

Here's what we saw.

It starts off quietly enough with someone catching up with the local cops. Actually, it stayed relatively quiet throughout the parade this year. It was quite as rambunctious as in years past.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (1)

These folks had the right idea for viewing the parade:

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (2)

The crowds at Westlake did gradually build.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (4)

It wouldn't be a Holiday without a decorated tuba.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (8)

Of course, it helps when you have presents.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (9)

For the Gingerbread Village, people dress up as candy.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (12)

Who sponsors this wonderful collection of giant surgary treats? Why the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, course.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (13)

I'm not sure if that is funny, ironic, or just a good idea. How often do Diabetes related organizations celebrate sugary sweets?

The Connect Call Stars was one of several groups highlighting their people hoisting skills.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (19)

In prior years, the area's dignitaries would ride along the parade route in convertibles, and wave to the people. This year, they had to walk. Here is Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske:

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (21)

And here, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels joins Seattle Fire Chief Gregory Dean.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (69)

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (70)

Not all local dignitaries had to hoof it, however.

Doppler, the mascot for the local WNBA team, the Seattle Storm, got ot rid in a car.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (22)

The Mariner Moose and the Seahawk's Seahawk, were not so lucky.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (23)

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (25)

Here is a very hungry inflatable dog.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (29)

While no one dropped turkeys from a helicopter, candy did start raining down on the crowds. But it didn't come from the sky.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (39)

Instead the candy that came crashing down over the crowds and splattering on the pavement -- like recent home sales figures and prices came from Quadrant Homes.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (32)
I just hope the homes the build for sales are better than the home they build for the parade.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (34)

The Scotty dogs put in an appearance.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (43)

A dachshund wanted to join them. I think they talked him out of it.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (44)

This dog is hard core. He needs two leashes.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (45)

Later on, we got to see the English Sheep Dogs.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (102)

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (97)

The dachshund wanted to join them, too.

The dalmatians were also part of the parade.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (65)

The only cat in the parade was inflatable.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (28)

Representatives from the local ballet showed off some of their moves.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (121)

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (122)

Is this the latest innovation in marching band technology? I don't think I've see an arm mounted music holder before.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (127)

In the distance we saw some umbrellas and assumed this was one of Seattle's ethnic groups marching in the parade. Wew figured it would be the Filipino-American group or a Chinese-American group.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (130)

As they got closer, we realized we were probably mistaken.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (132)

It turns out the group was actually dressed up as Poinsettias.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (133)

Naturally, the parade also featured the Pie Man.



Oops. Sorry. Wrong pie man.

The parade featured, as the GF put it, the Sweeny Todd version -- people were in the pies.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (85)

There is also a Unicycle group in the area. The riders do a variety of tricks. Can you tell this guy is really confident in his friend's abilities?

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (76)

As the candy throwers and blushing marching bands move on, the parade leapt towards it's climactic finish.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (159)

The Macy's group itself approached, and, as the Bon Marche had done for years ine past, they began tossing not candy canes, and not ordinary chocolate, but Frango candies.

People got up and crowed the curb for their chance to catch one of these precious treat. All of a sudden a woman behind us said to her companion, "You know, we can just BUY Frangos."

A few people thought that was pretty funny.

But the crowds pressed forward and the Global Warming Ary marched down the street.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (161)

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (164)

They were, of course, ably commanded by the terrifying Snow Queen (DO NOT LET HER OUT OF HER GLASS PRISON -- SEATTLE WILL BE BURIED).

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (163)

Since it is a Holiday parade, it must of course be wrapped up with Santa Claus.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (175)

And keeping everyone up to date on the parade were Seattle favorites Dennis Bounds and Lori Matsukawa.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (178)

Every year, the parade concludes with a snowstorm in front of Macy's.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (184)

And here is Seattle's Snow Man.

2008-11-28 Seattle Thanksgiving Holiday Parade (183)

You can see more of my parade pictures here.

7 comments:

Blogger said...

Thanks for the tour, I would love to go to Seattle someday. Happy Holidays to you!

Bella

Anonymous said...

Lovely photos! :D One day I will have to go to the US during Thanksgiving and/or Christmas, just to experience it all.

Anonymous said...

Great photo blog post! I felt like I was there. I'm close, at least. Across the Sound in Port Orchard. LOL Oh, and thanks...you made me hungry for a Frango.

Anonymous said...

Awesome photos and story! It sure looked cold there. Thanks for sharing!!

Anonymous said...

Sweeney Todd Pies. LOL!


Great, crisp photos. Make me feel like I'm really there.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the great photos...this may make me sound like a shallow New Yorker, but I had no idea that Macy's did a parade in Seattle as well. Fun!

Roxy

Jacey of Altairi said...

aw wonderful pictures! Makes me almost wish I was there to see it! Love your site!