Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Wiki

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Buzz Lightyear is a fictional character in Pixar's Toy Story franchise. He is a toy Space Ranger superhero according to the movies and an action figure in the franchise. He is one of the lead heroes in the four Toy Story movies, along with the pull-string cowboy Sheriff Woody. He was also spun off into his own animated feature film, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, and a television series adapted therefrom. Most recently, Buzz has appeared in Lightyear, the 2022 full-length feature film that focuses on Buzz's origins as a character rather than a toy.

Buzz is voiced by Tim Allen in the Toy Story films and his first spin-off movie; secondary voice actors for Buzz include Patrick Warburton (in the Buzz Lightyear TV series) and Chris Evans (in Lightyear).

History with the Macy's Parade[]

Buzz Lightyear, the fearless Space Ranger from the beloved Toy Story trilogy, made his Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade debut in 2008, alongside fellow newcomers Smurf and Horton the Elephant. The larger-than-life hero measured 67.7-feet long, 39.9-feet wide and 34.3-feet tall. On Thanksgiving Day, Buzz was ready for the adventure with his jet pack guiding him down the route. From his green and purple space boots all the way up to his protective helmet, which is 17-feet in diameter, Buzz Lightyear became the second balloon in Parade history to use a clear material, following the previous year's Abby Cadabby balloon.

The same year the balloon debuted, John Lasseter, director of the first two Toy Story films, helped man the balloon in route to 34th Street in both 2008 and 2010. Buzz would fly to infinity and beyond for six consecutive appearances, before retiring shortly after the 2013 Parade making six appearances. Despite the balloon's retirement, it would make a final appearance at the 2015 D23 Expo, where he was displayed outside of the Anaheim Convention Center. The Buzz Lightyear balloon has not been seen since this appearance.

Trivia[]

  • Coincidentally, none of Buzz Lightyear's appearances, except his second in 2009, were to promote an actual Toy Story movie, his presence in the Parade was made possible by the fact that, although the releases of these movies are infrequent, the franchise and its characters have been kept relevant in the interims between movies by numerous spin-off shorts, TV specials, video game appearances, and theme park attractions.

See also[]

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