All Photos by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Macy's, Inc.

“Celebration Gator” Float to Make Debut in 2021 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

15:00 October 21, 2021
By: Re'gine Smith

Honestly, how long has it been since you all attended a parade? Don't think too hard on that, because this news will not fail you!

Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, the Louisiana Office of Tourism, and Macy's Inc. have announced that there will be a celebration of the birthplace of jazz, Cajun and Creole cuisine, and Mardi Gras in one of America's most famous parades. Of course, this is the boot, so in true Louisiana fashion, the Office of Tourism will make its debut with its new float in the 95th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Once parade attendees and those watching from the television feast their eyes on the 60-foot-long alligator-themed float, they're good to go to celebrate Louisiana style! According to Nungesser, we really know how to parade. From living here, it's embedded in us. He further explained that doing so "is a real honor for the people of Louisiana." Nungesser said he hopes to share this experience with people all over the country and the world in celebration of this unique place we call home.

"We've partnered with the Louisiana Department of Tourism to celebrate not only New Orleans, which we love, but also the entire state of Louisiana," Creative Director of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Rick Pomer said. "All the art, the culture, and the pure celebration."

"The Macy's Parade is thrilled to welcome this awe-inspiring and colorful float to our lineup," Jordan Dabby, producer of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, said. "Sharing Louisiana's rich history of celebration, the Parade's newest float will bring the revelry to spectators lining the streets of New York City and enjoying the pageantry from homes nationwide."

The "Celebration Gator" will be a sight for sore eyes, featuring a vibrant street view of Louisiana. You will see a blend of the French Quarter architecture with the Spanish colonial rule and Creole fashion influences. Louisiana has a unique combination of European, Caribbean, African, and Native American cultures. Participants dressed in baby gator costumes and stilt walkers will be on the float—many people in New York and TV viewers across the country will watch in awe! Not only that, awarding-winning local musician and bandleader for The Late Show With Stephan Colbert Jon Batiste will be performing on the float!

The 95th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade® airs live nationwide on NBC on Thursday, November 25, 2021, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in all time zones.

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