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“Straight Up” – Paula Abdul Makes 1st Appearance at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® on This Year’s Glamorous Jennie-O Turkey Store Float

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Willmar, Minn.

The makers of the JENNIE-O® turkey brand – the category leader of ground turkey products and a trusted brand for turkey products around the world – announced the return of The Big Turkey Spectacular float in the 96th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®.

During the famous holiday event, the Jennie-O float will be glamorously displayed to parade attendees along with millions of viewers nationwide on Thursday, Nov. 24. This will mark the third year the Jennie-O float has been featured in the iconic event.

To add to the festivities, Paula Abdul will be making her first ever appearance at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, atop the glitter-covered turkey. The iconic singer, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality will perform her smash hit “Straight Up” for the millions in attendance and watching worldwide.

“I’m thrilled to be making my Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® debut on the fabulous Jennie-O float and I can’t wait to perform “Straight Up” for the parade’s worldwide TV audience. I hope that everyone has a happy, healthy, and peace-filled turkey day!” Abdul said.

Standing at 36 feet long, 25 feet wide and 24 feet tall, The Big Turkey Spectacular by Jennie-O was unveiled in 2020 with glitz and glamour. The float, glittering in the signature gold and green hues of the iconic brand, boasts more than 200 pounds of sparkles!

The turkey’s tail feathers span 25 feet in width and are two stories tall. They were constructed with enough steel tubing to span a regulation football field from end zone to end zone – and the feathers even function to release confetti during the Parade.

To top off the splendor, the turkey sports an advanced motion-activated top hat that reveals a surprise — baby turkey figures (referred to as poults) peek out and greet the viewers.

Jennie-O will also use the platform to showcase simple and delicious ideas to make turkey an everyday protein choice both during the holiday season and all year long. This will include highlighting the brand’s high-quality products, cooking solutions, recipes and resources for consumers everywhere to make any meal fun, flavorful and easy.

“As we enter the third year of our partnership with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, this continues to be one of the most iconic and cherished events of the year that coincides with a very important time for our brand,” said Kim Anderson, senior brand manager, Jennie-O Turkey Store. “The opportunity to have the legendary Paula Abdul perform in her first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® on our float is going to be a memorable moment for all.”

Throughout November, Jennie-O consumer engagement experts will be on hand to help alleviate stress around holiday meal planning at the company’s 1-800-TURKEYS hotline, through live chat on the Jennie-O website, and even by texting “Turkey” to 73876. From advice on how to prep and cook a turkey to recipes for side dishes and how to use leftovers, consumers can reach out for real time support through Nov. 27 via the method that is most convenient for them. Also, this year, in the days leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday, Jennie-O specialists are available around-the-clock.

ABOUT JENNIE-O TURKEY STORE

For over 80 years, the Jennie-O® brand has been helping consumers live well by eating well. As the category leader, Jennie-O® turkey is the trusted brand for quality turkey and a source of expertise. We provide a full portfolio of delicious, nutritious turkey proteins and inspiration for everyday meals or special occasions. Known for our bright green awning evoking the nostalgia of a local farmer stand and our distinct name from our founders’ daughter Jennifer, the Jennie-O® turkey brand has the right amount of small-town friendliness paired with leading company expertise and quality. For more information, visit JennieO.com for turkey products, including recipes, nutritional information and where to buy or follow the brand on social media on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest.

About Hormel Foods – Inspired People. Inspired Food.™

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $11 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include Planters®, SKIPPY®, SPAM®, Hormel® Natural Choice®, Applegate®, Justin’s®, Wholly®, Hormel® Black Label®, Columbus®, Jennie-O® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named on the “Global 2000 World’s Best Employers” list by Forbes magazine for three years, is one of Fortune magazine’s most admired companies, has appeared on the “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list by 3BL Media 13 times, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™ — to bring some of the world’s most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and https://www.hormelfoods.com/global-impact/.

About the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a national icon that has grown into a world-famous holiday event. For more than 90 years, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has marked the official start of the holiday season. Growing in size and scale, the Parade features Macy’s signature giant character balloons, fabulous floats, incredible marching bands, celebrities, clowns, dance and performance groups, and the one and only Santa Claus, spreading holiday cheer. For more information on the Macy’s Parade, please visit www.macys.com/parade.