With Thanksgiving only a few days away, the excitement for the 95th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City is undeniable.
One of the best parts of the parade is always the floats, and they play a major role in the tradition of the parade. Now, the playful characters with over-sized smiles are playing another epic role for Macy’s in a different way.
Macy’s is set to make 10 floats available as NFTs in a holiday auction that will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. One float will be auctioned to represent each decade of the Parade’s colorful past.
A Toy Soldier gets things started, representing the roaring 1920s. A Dachshund dog represents the 1930’s era when simple pleasures brought smiles to children’s faces during the Great Depression. A firefighter float stands in for the 1940s, and a spaceman brings a hint of modernity for the 1950s.
Traditions continue with Happy Dragon from the 1960s and the famous Macy’s Star from the 1970s. An ice cream cone represents the fun of the ‘80s, a wiggle worm sets the tone for the ‘90s, and a jolly elf holds it down for the 2000s. Tiptoe the reindeer is the latest addition, representing the 2020s era that has just begun.
“We were struck by the unique place the parade holds in pop culture, always evolving and reflecting the greatest characters and artists of each generation,” Will Coss, the parade’s executive producer, is quoted in Coindesk. “To celebrate that history, we created art in a new form through NFTs that would bring the magic of the parade to a new generation and simultaneously while raising funds for our partner Make-A-Wish.”
The 10 main NFT originals are called the “Epics,” but there are a series of 9,500 generated NFTs based on those originals for sale as well. Changes include the color of the sky, background images and more, and some characteristics are rarer than others.
Powered by the Sweet NFT platform and built on Polygon, everyone who places a bid is entered into a Thanksgiving Day draw for a chance to win a free generative NFT and a grand prize of $10,000.
Current bids on the Epics range from $36,000 to $5,500. The auction ends Tuesday, Nov. 30. Check images of the NFTs and learn more about the auction via Macy’s website.