Each year the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade features guest appearances and performances by Hollywood actors, musicians, sports figures, and Broadway stars.
Over the years, plenty of famous LGBT folks have taken part in the holiday fun. Just as often, some of the parade's performances hit campy or queer notes. In that spirit, here are 10 of the gayest moments from the parade's history.
1. The Village People Perform "Y.M.C.A." (1978)
During the disco '70s, the parade invited the super-gay, cosplaying sextet to strut atop a giant jukebox float while performing their homoerotic mega-hit "Y.M.C.A."
2. The Marvel Comics Dance Squad (1989)
Comic book superheroes always seem a little gay, but never more than they did on top of the Marvel Comics float in 1989. Captain America, Spider-Man and the gang do a bit of interpretive dance as R&B star Melba Moore sings "Holding Out For A Hero." Best dancer? Hands down, it's gyrating Doctor Doom!
3. Chita Rivera Performs "Kiss of the Spider Woman" (1993)
Every Thanksgiving should start with a Broadway legend performing a torch song from a Tony Award-winning show about two male prisoners who fall in love.
4. The Pink Panther Literally Can't Even (1997)
Pink Panther, I'm sorry, my dear, but you are up for elimination.
5. Harvey Fierstein In Drag As Mrs. Santa (2003)
The gay Fierstein, who donned drag in the Broadway adaptation of Hairspray, appeared all dolled up as Mrs. Claus sitting in the North Pole sleigh.
6. The Keith Haring Love Balloon (2008)
Gay visual artist Haring died of complications from AIDS in 1990, so it was bittersweet seeing one of his best-loved images displayed high above the sky -- that is, until it crashed into the NBC broadcast booth and knocked Meredith Vieira, Matt Lauer, and Al Roker right off the air. Whoops!
7. The Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Cast Performs in Drag (2011)
The cast of the Tony Award-wining Broadway musical Priscilla, Queen of the Desert kicked off the holiday season by sashaying in drag to a disco medley including "I Love the Nightlife" and "I Will Survive."
8. Johnny Weir In All His Bejeweled Splendor (2011)
Competitive ice skating met eleganza when out national champion and Olympic medalist Johnny Weir rode in on an oversize rocking horse wearing a bejeweled top hat and mint ascot.
9. Spider-Man and Uncle Sam on the Night Before The Parade (2012)
It's true what people say. Once you find a spot along the route, you basically just kill time before the parade starts.
10. The Kinky Boots Cast Performs (And Conservatives Freak Out) (2013)
You'd think with the parade's long history of queer high jinks, the shock would be gone. But conservatives flipped out when yet another bunch of Broadway stars in drag, this time the cast of Tony Award-winning Kinky Boots, did their thing.
