What could be more wholesome? The parade's highlights include colorful floats and giant inflatable balloons, the latter bobbing and weaving down the skyscraper-lined streets, guided by hundreds of volunteer handlers holding ropes. The floats and balloons regularly feature cartoon characters ranging from Snoopy to Spiderman, celebrities, and other images from pop culture.

But Macy's has come under fire this week from activists with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which plans a protest of the parade in response to news that the event will feature a SeaWorld-themed float, including imagery of Shamu, the orca made famous through long-running shows at the parks.

In a letter to Macy's CEO Terry J. Lundgren, PETA supporters and celebrities Alec and Hilaria