The New Macy's Parade Wikia
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Barney the Dinosaur is the main character of Barney & Friends, a children's television series aimed at viewers aged 1 to 8, who was created by Sheryl Leach and is owned by HiT Entertainment. He is a purple anthropomorphic Tyrannosaurus rex who conveys educational messages through songs and small dance routines with a friendly, optimistic attitude. His show aired on PBS from April 6, 1992 to September 18, 2009, and will be rebooted soon. A stuffed-animal character who comes to life through children's imaginations, Barney is known for quoting many things as being "super-dee-duper" and for his signature closing song "I Love You," set to the tune of "This Old Man." Despite being a carnivorous-type dinosaur, Barney likes many different foods, from peanut butter and jelly to fruits and vegetables. As his show progressed, he was joined by fellow dinosaur characters Baby Bop, B.J., and Riff.

History with the Macy's Parade[]

The first Barney balloon was introduced to the Macy's Parade in 1994, alongside The Cat in the Hat and Cloe the Holiday Clown. In 1997, he had his side cut open by a lamppost in Times Square, resulting in him being removed from the parade; however, he was not banned from making future reappearances, unlike fellow children's character The Cat in the Hat. He continued to appear in his normal version through 2002.

In 2003, a new Barney balloon was introduced to the Macy's Parade. This time, Barney took the form of a bandleader, sporting a blue and gold bandleader hat, and a shiny brass bugle. This balloon only made 3 appearances, and was retired after the 2005 Parade.

In addition to appearing as a balloon, Barney has also appeared in the Parade on his own floats. Over the course of 10 years, from 1995 to 2004, he has appeared alongside his friends on various floats. A separate article for these floats can be read here.

Incidents[]

  • In 1994, the balloon's left leg was torn by a tree.
  • In 1995, the balloon almost hit a tree in Herald Square.
  • In 1997, the balloon was speared by a lamppost in Times Square, causing it to rapidly deflate and be stabbed by the NYPD.
  • In 2005, the balloon's left leg was once again torn by a tree before the Parade started.


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