New York decided that they would make some changes to the parade today to keep large crowds from gathering and potentially spreading COVID-19.

As usual NBC will broadcast the 2020 Thanksgiving parade live and will also stream it online for viewers to watch on computers and mobile devices. The broadcast and online live stream will be from 9am to 12 noon eastern time.

Watch the live stream of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Online

As reported earlier, today’s parade will have all of its signature floats, performers and of course, Santa Claus. However, this year’s parade will not be open to public attendance.

“Under the unique challenges of these unparalleled times, we felt it was important to continue this cherished holiday tradition that has been the opening act to the holiday season for generations of families,” said Susan Tercero, executive producer of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. “While it will certainly look different in execution, this year’s Macy’s Parade celebration will once again serve its historical purpose – to bring joy into the hearts of millions across the nation.”

NBC is anticipating that more than 50 million will watch the parade on television or online. The 2020 parade route will not be the usual 2.5 mile route, but rather will be staged around the Herald Square area in Manhattan. Additionally, all participants will wear masks and maintain social distancing protocols.

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Mr. Carlson is a character played by legendary actor Gordon Jump who also made the Maytag Repairman a household name before his passing in 2003. Also, WKRP was not a real radio station in Cincinnati.

But the “turkey drop” is real… sort of. It’s based on real events… in Atlanta, Georgia.

The failed PR stunt in the Thanksgiving-timed episode involved WKRP Characters Carlson and sales manager Herb Tarlek, played by Frank Bonner. The two refused to back down from the idea that they could plan a better promotion than some of the other people at the station.

The result was the horrifying, yet funny, event where station reporter Les Nessman (Richard Sanders) reports on the PR event as live turkeys are shoved from a helicopter above a shopping center. Of course, the turkeys plummeted to the ground causing damage and a small riot.

No turkeys were shown, the only camera shot was of Nessman reporting as if the Hindenburg was exploding. Younger readers may need to research that event for context. The good news is that surviving turkeys did manage to mount a counterattack!

Watch the famed ‘turkey drop’ scene below.

The Real Story behind the Radio Turkey Drop

Hugh Wilson (1943-2018) was a director known for The First Wives Club as well as the Police Academy movie franchise. He also developed and created tv shows such as WKRP which he stated was based on stories he gathered from the staff of a top-forty station in Atlanta – WQXI.

Here’s how Clarke Brown, the real person behind the character Herb Tarkeck, described the event during an interview with Classic TV History.

In the interview, Brown described Wilson as working his way up the ladder, becoming a copywriter and eventually the top-man at an advertising agency before packing up and heading to California. When Wilson was searching for WKRP story ideas he returned to Atlanta and WQXI where he came across the “turkey” legend. Wilson said it may have come from a station in Texas but Brown set the story straight on the true origins.

“The turkey drop was actually a real incident,” Brown said. “It was at a shopping center in Atlanta; I think it was Broadview Plaza, which no longer exists.  It was a Thanksgiving promotion.  We thought that we could throw these live turkeys out into the crowd for their Thanksgiving dinners.  All of us, naïve and uneducated, thought that turkeys could fly.  Of course, they went just fu—n’ splat.

People were laughing at us, not with us.  But it became a legend.  There were other stories of this nature that were embellished [on WRKP]; that one was really not embellished that much.  Although the turkeys were thrown off the back of a truck, as opposed to how it was depicted on the [show].”

The TV Show WKRP in Cincinnati ran from 1978 to 1984 for 90 episodes and was followed by a short-lived sequel called The New WKRP in Cincinnati which ran for two seasons from 1991 to 1993. In total, there were 137 episodes between the two shows with Turkeys Away being one of the most memorable. Thanksgiving traditions seem to always include turkey. For WKRP TV show fans, they also include helicopters, and now trucks.

The post A Thanksgiving Tradition – True Story Behind WKRP Turkey Drop appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

However, due to the travel restrictions and fear of transmission that comes hand in hand with the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are anticipating a much smaller, more intimate Thanksgiving season this year.

This is potentially debilitating for a variety of different Thanksgiving-related industries and companies, especially turkey farmers. The United States is home to about 2500 turkey farms. For many of them, the holiday months represent close to half of their annual sales.

With gathering sizes reduced, many farmers fear that the demand for smaller, personal-sized turkeys will surmount their available stock and leave them with a surplus of larger birds.

A typical male turkey weighs about 20 pounds, while the females are around 16. Farmers had committed to the percentage of each that they would grow long before COVID-19 hit. So, now all they can do is hope for the best.

COVID-related cancellations of state fairs and other events, where turkey legs are a popular food item, have already impacted turkey sales greatly. The closure of universities and schools also resulted in a greatly reduced demand for turkey breast meat.

Going forward to the holiday season, there’s no way of knowing just how severely the industry will be impacted. For many turkey farmers, all they can do is watch and wait.

The post COVID-19 may ‘Kill’ Thanksgiving Turkey Sales appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

Also, in conjunction with the holiday flotilla, visitors can enjoy the 16^th annual Enchanted Airlie event at nearby Airlie Gardens.

Both events are typically a big draw in the area, with people traveling in to enjoy the festivities. But like many events in 2020, some changes needed to be made to keep everyone safe from COVID-19.

Thankfully, organizers have been able to revise both events in order to alleviate any public health concerns, and comply with any local regulations.

“It’s important for us to do whatever we can to keep these North Carolina holiday traditions in place,” said Bill Baggett, co-owner of Blockade Runner Beach Resort and a founding supporter of the Flotilla.

As you’ll read below, this year, boat dock owners along the flotilla route will have an opportunity to be very involved in the parade.

“The Flotilla is happening with a little twist this year,” said Linda Brown, Committee Chair. “Instead of a boat-judging contest with 50,000 people on the shoreline, it’s going to be a dock judging competition from the water. We encourage all residents and businesses on the Flotilla route to decorate their docks with seasonal lighting. Floodlights and spotlights are not permitted as they will impair navigation on the waterways.”

From the boats, the dock decorations will be judged during the Friday and Saturday nights following Thanksgiving. On Sunday, the winners will be announced and prizes will be awarded.

“We invite our flotilla captains and all owners to decorate their boats and come and see the beautiful docks and homes from the water. See the holiday lights and place your votes for the People’s Choice Award,” said Brown.

Airlie Garden’s Enchanted Airlie

For those who are more of a ‘land-lover’ the nights of the Thanksgiving weekend can be enjoyed by strolling through 35-acres of night-time forest lit by over a million sparkling lights.

This all takes place during the Airlie Gardens’ Enchanted Airlie featuring walking trails, holiday displays, and seasonal music.

“Enchanted Airlie is a beloved tradition and we have worked hard to ensure that we continue that tradition in the safest way possible,” said Janine Powell, Director of Donor Relations. “Tickets will sell out in advance.”

Unfortunately, this year, Santa will not be at Airlie Gardens due to safety concerns. Another change this year, is that food and drinks will not be sold at the Gardens. Visitors are welcome to bring their own however, and don’t forget to bring a mask.

The post North Carolina Holiday Flotilla made Safe for COVID-19 appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

Because of this, the city has announced an alternative plan for this year’s parade.

New York City officials have been working closely with the team at Macy’s to develop a plan. For the 2020 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade they have two goals. Keep the public safe, and maintain the spectacle and wonder that is this holiday tradition.

This week the city unveiled its plans.

The parade itself with still go on with all of its signature floats, performers and of course, Santa Claus. However, this year’s parade will not be open to public attendance. It will instead only be available for viewing on television.

“Under the unique challenges of these unparalleled times, we felt it was important to continue this cherished holiday tradition that has been the opening act to the holiday season for generations of families,” said Susan Tercero, executive producer of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. “While it will certainly look different in execution, this year’s Macy’s Parade celebration will once again serve its historical purpose – to bring joy into the hearts of millions across the nation.”

From 9am to 12 noon eastern on November 26, NBC will broadcast the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and stream it online.  

The network anticipates a viewing audience in excess of 50 million.

This year marks the 94th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The history of the parade began with collection of Macy’s employees who took to the streets in 1924 dressed as clowns, playing instruments and adorning floats.

The spectacular has grown from there into an American holiday tradition.

Other Changes to the 2020 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

To keep everyone in the parade safe, the Macy’s team has implemented some changes. These will operate in line with CDC guidelines, and local and state government protocols.

Part of this means that the parade with not follow its usual 2.5 mile route. Instead the event will be staged around the Herald Square area in Manhattan.

Participants in the parade will all wear masks and maintain social distancing protocols.

To reduce the number of participants this year, the Macy’s team will be utilizing specially designed vehicles to provide and anchor for the massive balloons. This is a task normally requiring up upwards of 100 people per balloon.

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