Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: The Most Infamous Balloon Crash in Its History
While most hot air balloon incidents are at least a little humorous (human hubris, to make such beasts!), a handful of crashes have ended with people. seriously injured. Some of those circumstances prompted parade organizers to change the rules regarding their most beloved – and problematic – parade participants. After all, a Kermit deflates here and that’s just the way the parade floats, but it’s nothing festive when people get hurt.
Even the more conventional bubble deflation always carries a bit of enthusiasm. The Mighty Mouse balloon fell in 1956. It’s a fairy tale: The balloon meets the street sign, wins over the street sign, the balloon falls helplessly to the ground. This one is funny, because it’s Mighty Mouse! He must fly! And be mighty! However, that day, he also failed to finish.
1957: Popeye hates you
Popeye the Sailor Man has always been known for his raw style. True to form, in 1957 Popeye’s ball had all he could stand and could no longer stand. As a cold rain blankets the city, it settles on top of Popeye’s iconic sailor hat. With just one tight turn, it overturned and dumped liters of water on unsuspecting spectators. Ah-gahgahgahgahgah!
1991: Kermit the frog is scarred for life
Life was tough for the first Kermit balloon. In 1985, the frog managed to escape after crashing into some trees, but managed to survive the rest of the parade. The more crippling blow came in 1991, when it lost another encounter with a tree, the left side of which deflated its head in a completely non-festive way. Balloons were never the same, and were retired soon after. A new, improved and tree-resistant version was released in 2002. It made some people march for the parade, retiring after two years and then returning a few years later. since 2007, but things are never the same. The poor frog’s balloon spirit has simply seen too much.
1997: Bad guy
That’s why, if you’ve ever heard buzz about balloons hitting the ground due to high winds, you shouldn’t lament your disappointment. It could have been much worse if they were allowed to fly.
