* 300,000 cubic feet of helium is required to get all the balloons up and floating.

* 78 feet is the maximum length allowed for balloons and is the size of Kermit the Frog and Spiderman, the longest in the parade.

* Originally, Macy’s released the Thanksgiving Day balloons into the air at the end of the parade. Lucky people who found and returned the balloons could claim a prize.

* Felix The Cat was the first character balloon that soared in the Parade. He made his debut in 1927.

* In the 1930s, it was common practice to recycle balloons into different characters each year. Harold the Fireman was once a cop and a clown, and an ice cream was morphed into an elf.

* 4,000 volunteers and employees are needed to pull off the parade each year, including 1,600 handlers to balance the balloons.