Nearly thirty years after the ill-fated premiere of Sonic the Hedgehog’s Thanksgiving Day balloon, the gigantic blue hedgehog is set to return to Macy’s Parade in 2021.
He’s appeared in a number of those parades, but none were so traumatic as his 1993 debut.
On November 25, 1993, the balloon snagged a light pole due to high winds, and brought it crashing down upon a crowd of unsuspecting parade watchers. Two were injured. Footage of that fateful day can still be found online.
Witness, if you dare, over 50 feet of inflatable terror, like a rampaging kaiju barreling through the streets of New York City:
Despite that event, Sonic continued to appear in the parade for several years, and an updated balloon set sail in 2011-2013, though eventually it too was scuttled. However, according to Nintendo Life, SEGA’s mascot is now prepared to fly once again, in celebration of the franchise’s 30th anniversary.
As usual, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will begin at 9:00 a.m. EST in New York City. Let’s just hope Sonic doesn’t run into anything else.
Founder and editor-in-chief of Atomic Lagoon. Spends his time changing aquarium water, feeding cats, and watching old monster movies in 3D.
