This list will feature long-running balloons, and how many years and parades the balloon has appeared in.
Rules[]
- The balloon must have been in at least 11 parades or more.
- The balloon also must be a single balloon design, as those with more than one balloon (such as Pikachu, Ronald McDonald, Snoopy, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Barney) don't technically count as long-running balloons. Balloons like these would belong into their own separate list, which can be read here.
- Identical balloon re-creations, such as Pillsbury Doughboy, do not count, as they are technically separate balloons.
- Deflations and removals count, as they still would have appeared in the parade.
- Brief returns (like in 1991) also count.
- Breaks also apply.
- Novelty balloons (such as Harold the Fireman and the Red Candy Cane) aren't allowed either. Note that this only apples to novelties made after the 1985 split.
List[]
- Happy Dragon (1960-1981, 1991-1992) 24 Parades
- Smokey Bear (1st version) (1966-1981, 1993) 17 Parades
- Smile (1971-1985) 15 Parades
- Woody Woodpecker (1982-1996) 15 Parades
- Garfield (1st version) (1984-1989, 1992-1999) 14 Parades
- Mickey Mouse (2nd version) (1971-1983) 13 Parades
- Kermit the Frog (1st version) (1977-1987, 1990-1991) 13 Parades
- Baby Shamu (1986-1998) 13 Parades
- Big Bird (2nd version) (1988-2000) 13 Parades
- Quik Bunny (1988-2000) 13 Parades
- Mega Man (1988-2000) 13 Parades
- TNT the Robot Mouse (1994-2006) 13 Parades
- Popeye (1957-1968) 12 Parades
- Bucky and Pepito (1959-1970) 12 Parades
- Donald Duck (2nd version) (1962-1972, 1984) 12 Parades
- Clifford the Big Red Dog (1990-1996, 2000-2004) 12 Parades
- Spider-Man (1st version) (1987-1998) 12 Parades