SALT LAKE CITY — Sinclair Oil’s green Dino balloon returns to the 89th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year after a nearly 40-year absence — and just in time to kick off Sinclair’s centennial celebration in 2016.
The parade can be seen at 9 a.m. Thursday on KSL-TV.
“We are delighted that our iconic Sinclair dinosaur is returning to New York City and participating in the world-renowned Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” said Ross Matthews, chairman and CEO of Sinclair Oil Corp. “With our upcoming centennial anniversary, we feel extremely fortunate to have such a timeless brand symbol that is loved by Americans of all ages."
The balloon measures 72 feet long, 24 feet wide and 36 feet tall — the actual size of an apatosaurus — making it the only life-size balloon in the parade. It will require approximately 70 handlers who have been trained for the job. Seven of the handlers are Sinclair employees or family members; the others are Macy’s employees, friends and family.
Sinclair Oil Corp. was formed by Harry F. Sinclair in 1916, and by the late 1920s, it was the seventh-largest oil company in the United States. Today, the company, which is headquartered in Salt Lake City, is among the oldest, continuous names in the oil business, and the green dinosaur is one of the most-recognized icons in Americana.