Carolinas' Carrousel Parade
The Novant Health Thanksgiving Day Parade, known traditionally as the Carolinas' Carrousel Parade and as the Carolinas' Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2008 & 2009, [1] [2] is a Thanksgiving Day parade held in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina. The parade was founded in 1947; Novant Health is the parade's title sponsor, taking over sponsorship from Belk in 2013. Traditionally, it was one of the few Thanksgiving parades to be held in the afternoon as opposed to the morning (although the first several parades were held in the evening), but moved to mornings beginning in 2008. The parade bills itself as the fourth-largest in the United States, with an estimated 100,000 spectators; the parade is also televised on tape-delay on WBTV.
History
In 1985, the parade started at 1:30 rather than 2:00 and changed its route.[3]
Several mostly African-American high school bands created controversy in their performance style in 2001, and they were asked to be more "dignified" in 2002.[4]
In 2005, the parade nearly doubled the number of floats to 23, and board members were hoping to make televise the parade nationally.[5]
The 2007 parade had a professional production team, Charlotte Arrangements, whose president Clarke Allen expected a parade mcuh like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, though light poles would prevent the large balloons. The 2007 event had 104 floats and entertainment such as dancers.[6]
The 2008 parade would be the first to start at 10 A.M. instead of 1 P.M.; the previous parade was the last to be broadcast live.[7][6]
In Summer 2013, Carolinas Carrousel announced the parade would not happen in 2013, but Novant Health took over as sponosr in August.
The first Novant Health Thanksgiving Day Parade started at 9:30 and provided more live entertainment. In addition to Novant Health taking over as sponsor, the parade offered more live performances at Levine Center for the Arts. Charlotte Center City Partners took over organizing the parade.[8]
References
- ↑ http://www.charlottecentercity.org/news/article/220/thanksgiving-day-parade-renamed-belk-carolinas-carrousel-parade/
- ↑ http://www.carrouselparade.org/history.htm/
- ↑ Ted DeAdwyler, "Some Changes in Store for 39th Carrousel Parade," The Charlotte Observer, November 28, 1985, p. 1B.
- ↑ Tim Funk, "High Style, But Lower Key - W. Charlotte, Harding Tone Down for Parade and the Bands Marched On," The Charlotte Observer, November 29, 2002, p. 1A.
- ↑ Steve Lyttle,"Marching On - And Up - New Leadership, More Floats Have Parade Organizers Thinking Big," The Charlotte Observer, November 24, 2005, p. 1B.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Celeste Smith, "Big-City Feel Energizes Parade - More Floats, Professional Production Enahnce Uptown Event," The Charlotte Observer, Friday, November 23, 2007, p. 1B.
- ↑ Jeff Elder, "Documentary Guru Here Helpin' Tout Area History," The Charlotte Observer, May 22, 2008, p. 1D.
- ↑ Steve Lyttle, "2013 Thanksgiving parade will have new look: Charlotte event will offer more live entertainment and start earlier this year," The Charlotte Observer, November 5, 2013, p. 1B.
External links
- CarrouselParade.org - Official Parade Website
- WBTV.com - Official WBTV-TV Website
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