Highlights

• Louisiana’s “Celebration Gator” float appeared three consecutive years (2021-2023) as the longest float in parade history at 60 feet
• Jon Batiste, Trombone Shorty, Amanda Shaw, and Alex Smith represented Louisiana music on the float, reaching 3 billion viewers worldwide
• Lafayette High School’s Mighty Lion Marching Band marched in the 2018 parade as one of 12 bands selected nationwide
• New Orleans’ 610 Stompers performed three times (2011, 2015, 2019), becoming crowd favorites with their signature dance moves
• The state’s $1.375 million investment generated $24 million in publicity value before officials chose not to renew for 2024

Louisiana’s Legacy in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: A Complete History

Louisiana’s Parade History

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) — Louisiana has sent alligator floats, marching bands, and dance crews to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade over the past 13 years. The appearances put New Orleans jazz legends and Acadiana high school students on national television.

The Louisiana Office of Tourism debuted the “Celebration Gator” in 2021, featuring a 60-foot mechanical alligator that became the longest float in parade history. The float returned for three years, bringing Louisiana music and culture to millions of viewers.

The Celebration Gator: 2021-2023

The float debuted in the 95th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 25, 2021. At 60 feet from snout to tail, the animatronic alligator had moving legs, a mouth that opened to shoot confetti, and a wagging tail with fleur-de-lis.

“When it comes to parading, there is one thing Louisiana knows how to do and that’s throwing a party on wheels aboard the biggest float we can build,” Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser said. “In celebrating our state’s incredible lineup of music, food, and culture, we hope people from all over the country, and the world, will take part in visiting our lively state where every day is a celebration of life, and we treat you like family.”

SEE MORE: Louisiana Wins 'State of the Year' in Recent JRNY America Travel Awards

The float had a street scene on the gator’s back: New Orleans French Quarter architecture mixed with Spanish colonial and Creole design. Cypress trees, part of a paddlewheel steamer, French Quarter street signs, and Mardi Gras beads stuck in the gator’s teeth added Louisiana details.

Louisiana Musicians on the Float

2021: Jon Batiste

New Orleans native Jon Batiste performed on the float’s first year. The Grammy-nominated musician performed “I NEED YOU” with dancers and his father, bassist Michael Batiste.

Batiste had received 11 Grammy nominations just days before the parade—the most of any artist that year. He would win five Grammys including Album of the Year. During his performance, he stepped off the float to perform live on the street with dancers. The move went viral on social media and drove traffic to Louisiana tourism websites, according to Nungesser.

2022: Trombone Shorty

New Orleans jazz musician Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews performed in the 96th Annual Parade on November 24, 2022. He brought Orleans Avenue with him. Andrews had just won his first Grammy and released his album “Lifted.” He wore a gold suit during the performance.

State tourism officials said Louisiana reached over 14 billion people that year through the Macy’s parade and the state’s Rose Bowl Parade float combined.

2023: Amanda Shaw and Alex Smith

The Celebration Gator’s final appearance came on November 23, 2023. Cajun fiddler Amanda Shaw from Mandeville and country singer Alex Smith from Alexandria performed on the float.

Smith grew up at Red River Music in Alexandria. He performed his song “Boot Shake” with dancers. “I’m just overwhelmingly grateful for the opportunity,” Smith said before the parade. “I am so excited to be able to represent my city in such a national exposure experience.”

Contract Ends After Three Years

Louisiana officials didn’t renew the contract with Macy’s after 2023. The Celebration Gator reached 3 billion people worldwide and generated $24 million in publicity value over three years. But the state’s Rose Bowl Parade float reached 4.3 billion people and generated $39.7 million in value during the same period.

“We want to concentrate on where we can get more bang for our buck,” Nungesser said in June 2024.

Macy’s owns the float after building it for Louisiana. What happens to it next isn’t clear.

Lafayette High School in 2018

The Lafayette High School Mighty Lion Marching Band performed in the 92nd Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 22, 2018. The band was one of 12 marching bands selected from hundreds of applicants nationwide, including collegiate, high school, and military bands.

Band members learned they were selected in April 2017 during a surprise announcement at the school. Macy’s gave them a commemorative drumhead, and students threw confetti.

READ MORE: Lafayette High Marching Band To Appear In Macy's Parade

“I’m glad that I get to be a part of it because it’s always been my dream,” said Liam Jochum, a 16-year-old percussionist at the time. “The fact that it’s the first time that Lafayette High gets to do it and I get to be a part of it is such a cool thing.”

The Mighty Lions performed a medley of “You Are My Sunshine” and “Let It Snow” during their nationally televised appearance. About 50 million people watched on television.

Director of Bands Scotty Walker said the selection meant a lot. “Macy’s is a national historic treasure. Everybody’s heard of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It’s just really special to be a part of it.”

The 610 Stompers: Three Appearances

The all-male dance group from New Orleans first appeared in the 85th Annual Parade on November 24, 2011. Sixty dancers wore their signature pale-blue short-shorts, shiny red jackets, and gold sneakers. They performed Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out For a Hero” from the 1984 movie “Footloose” along a two-mile stretch.

NBC “Today Show” hosts Matt Lauer and Al Roker didn’t know what to say during the performance. “Can you imagine if you just tuned in?” Lauer said. “Yeah. Wow. Well, let’s move along, shall we?” Roker added.

The Stompers stood out in a mostly traditional parade lineup. Gwyn Andersen from Montana camped out early on 71st Street and Central Park West to watch the parade. Her group of 11 agreed the Stompers were their favorite.

“The thing that really catches your eye is they actually were quite polished. And unusual,” Andersen said. “We all suddenly realized they actually worked at that. Some of the guys standing around us were saying, ‘I could be part of that group.’”

The group returned in 2015 with 85 dancers and performed Jamiroquai’s “Canned Heat” at Herald Square. They made their third appearance in 2019.

The 610 Stompers formed in 2009. They call themselves “ordinary men with extraordinary moves and have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Louisiana charities.

Louisiana Students in 2024

Several Southwest Louisiana high school students participated in the 2024 parade as members of the Macy’s Great American Marching Band. This all-star ensemble brings together talented student musicians from across the country.

The Macy’s Great American Band started in 2006. Students audition through online applications and YouTube video submissions starting each January. The main requirement is that participants must be enrolled high school students in grades 9-12.

St. Augustine High School

St. Augustine High School’s Marching 100 from New Orleans is listed among the parade’s historical marching band participants. The specific year isn’t documented in the current records. Jon Batiste graduated from St. Augustine.

What Louisiana Brought to the Parade

Louisiana’s appearances in the parade span 13 years and include a state-sponsored float, high school marching bands, and a New Orleans dance crew. The Celebration Gator was only the third state-sponsored float in the parade’s nearly 100-year history.

The float reached 3 billion people worldwide over three years and generated $24 million in publicity value. Louisiana officials chose not to renew the contract after 2023, focusing instead on the Rose Bowl Parade.

The Lafayette High School Mighty Lion Marching Band, the 610 Stompers, and individual Louisiana students have all represented the state in New York. Jon Batiste, Trombone Shorty, Amanda Shaw, and Alex Smith brought Louisiana music to the national stage.

The parade airs annually on Thanksgiving morning on NBC and Peacock from 8:30 a.m. to noon in all time zones.