Everybody loves a parade, and bowling is being represented in two of America’s iconic parades this holiday season: the 98th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City and the 136th Rose Parade presented by Honda in Pasadena, California.
Smithsonian magazine described the first Macy’s Parade in 1924 as “more akin to a modest church carnival on wheels.” It had a few Mother Goose-themed floats, some animals on loan from the Central Park Zoo, a handful of marching bands and a gaggle of clowns. Despite its modest offerings, the parade still drew a crowd. And when 10,000 people followed Santa Claus, who brought up the rear, to Macy’s newly expanded, 1 million-square-foot department store on 34th Street, company officials believed they had a hit on their hands.
Thirty-four years earlier across the country, the Valley Hunt Club sponsored its first Tournament of Roses to promote Southern California’s “Mediterranean of the West” climate. The abundance of flowers prompted the club to add a parade before the competition. Like the first Macy’s Parade, the early Rose Parades were relatively small, but they did attract the attention of Eastern newspapers with the colorful float displays — even if the papers’ printing presses could accommodate only black ink.
Today, both parades are true spectacles, and bowling has a presence in them with colorful floats sponsored by Go Bowling, the consumer-facing brand of Strike Ten Entertainment.
In the Macy’s Parade, a colorful float with a mechanical bowler “chased” several “bowling pins” (with legs) along the parade route. According to preliminary Nielsen ratings and streaming figures from Adobe Analytics, the parade was viewed by 31.3 million people — 10% more than the record-breaking total in 2023.
The Rose Parade traditionally draws even more impressive viewership since it’s covered by multiple networks and platforms. For the 2024 parade, 45.5 million watched on domestic television, joined by an additional 28 million international viewers.
The theme of the 2025 Rose Parade is “Best Day Ever!” — unparalleled experiences that bring a smile, warm hearts and fill people with joy. The Go Bowling float will celebrate every bowler’s dream best day: achieving a “Perfect Game.” It will have a retro-bowling alley theme decorated with fresh, vibrant flowers. In homage to the classic bowling alley façade, a giant neon sign will illuminate the word “BOWL,” and rotating pins and balls also will be featured.
“We couldn’t think of a better way to capture the essence of a ‘Best Day Ever’ than the excitement of a perfect 300 game,” said John Harbuck, president of Strike Ten Entertainment. “We hope this float inspires everyone watching to hit the lanes and create their unforgettable moments.”
The Rose Parade will be broadcast nationwide on ABC, Great American Family, NBC, RFD-TV and Univision, and will stream on fubo, local now, Pluto TV, Sport TV and the Grio on Jan. 1 from 8-10 a.m. Pacific on New Year’s Day. In conjunction with the parade appearance, Go Bowling has been hosting a sweepstakes offering free bowling for a year to the winner. The sweepstakes can be entered by visiting GoBowling.com before Jan. 3.
Bowling Center Management Online 
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