Pioneer Library System

The hometown libraries of the Pioneer Library System will be closing at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, November 25. They will remain closed Thursday and Friday, November 26 and 27, in observance of Thanksgiving Day.

We encourage you to celebrate the national holiday with your family and friends and enjoy all the shared food and traditions.

For millions of people, Thanksgiving begins with watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on the television.  It wasn't until 1947, that the whole nation could enjoy the parade on television, but it was already a staple of the holiday season.  The legendary parade began in 1924 with just Macy's employees and animals from the Central Park Zoo.  It was such a success that the parade became an annual event and grew over the years to include the giant helium balloons, floats, and performers seen today.

In those early years, people lined up along the street could watch the giant helium balloons set free at the end of the parade and float above New York City.  Macy's even offered prizes and money to people who found the balloons and returned the tags.  Pilots were not eligible for the prizes, but in 1932, a student pilot flew into the "Tom Cat" balloon for fun and almost crashed.  Today, the balloons are tethered securely throughout the parade.  The 2009 parade will include an historic change.  For the first time in 82 years, the parade route has been changed and will now follow 7th Avenue instead of Broadway down to Macy's Herald square.

We invite you to read more about the Macy's Thanksgiving parade and other historical events in the Historical New York Times, available with a library card.  We also invite you to prepare for the holiday by checking out some Thanksgiving themed cookbooks, fiction books, and videos at your hometown library.