WASHINGTON (DC News Now) -- On Nov. 27, 1924, a Thanksgiving tradition was born. Macy's held its very first Thanksgiving Day Parade. At 9 a.m., a police escort led what was then called the "Macy's Christmas Parade" through New York. Advertisements leading up to the parade promised "a marathon of mirth" over its 6-mile length. Around 10,000 people were in attendance Cheers erupted as Santa descended from his sleigh at the parade's endpoint at Herald Square. It was such a hit that Macy's announced that it would be repeating the parade the following year. Zoo animals in the parade were soon replaced with character balloons in 1927. These balloons quickly became a hallmark of the parade. On This Day | First US Cabinet holds inaugural meeting Today, the parade runs for two and a half miles every Thanksgiving morning. It boasts balloons that are as high as a five-story building and as wide as five taxi cabs. According to NYC, it draws crowds of over 3.5 million people, and more than 50 million people tune in from home. The parade still ends at Herald Square, and Santa is still a focal point of the parade. Performers from across the nation also participate in the parade -- and this year, one Martinsburg High School student will be performing.