Whitefish siblings participate in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will celebrate its 90th event today in New York City. As the balloons, floats and performers prepare to take over Manhattan, a pair of Whitefish siblings are leading the way.

Literally.

Christian and Kellie Klepper frequently visit extended family in New York for the holidays, but this year the pair will be riding on the lead Tom Turkey float in the annual parade.

“I’m really excited about the party, and excited about the waving,” said Kellie, 9. “I really like the turkey float!”

“I’m excited about my friends seeing me on TV,” Christian, 12, added. “I mean, who wouldn’t want that?”

THE ROAD leading to the Tom Turkey float began last year for the Kleppers. Their parents, Cari K and Kevin Klepper, are friends with Sandra Lee, a television chef and author. Lee resides in New York and has been involved with the parade for seven years. Last year, Lee invited Kellie and Cari K to join her for the balloon blow-up party the night before the parade. Kellie was hooked, and Lee asked if she would like to participate in this year’s event.

“I’ve been friends with the Kleppers since before Christian and Kellie were born and I had the absolute pleasure of holding them when they were infants and watching them grow into beautiful children,” Lee said in an email interview. “I can’t wait to spend another year with them at the balloon blow-up party. This will be their first year on a parade float — It will be an amazing experience for them and I can’t wait to have them as my co-hosts.”

The Tom Turkey float is the traditional leader of the parade, and this year is no exception.

“The Tom the Turkey float is the lead float every single year of the parade and one of two floats that is owned and operated exclusively by Macy’s,” Lee said. “The other float that Macy’s has is Santa who closes the route each and every year and who rings in Christmas.

“Christian and Kellie were selected because they embody the spirit of the entire holiday season. They believe and that is what Macy’s is all about, the spirit of believing and Christmas and the spirit of believing in Santa.”

THE FIRST Macy’s Day Parade was held on Christmas in 1924, and featured Macy’s employees dressed in a variety of colorful costumes marching alongside the Central Park Zoo animals. Felix the Cat in 1927 was the first large balloon to make an appearance at the event. From 1942 to 1944 the parade was suspended because of World War II, and in 1945 when it resumed, attendance topped 2 million people for the first time.

The event has seen many changes over time. This year’s parade will feature the iconic large balloons — including a variety of characters, such as the Pillsbury Doughboy, SpongeBob Squarepants, Pikachu and Elf on a Shelf — as well as floats, marching bands, clowns, and performances and appearances by Brett Eldredge, Chloe and Halle, Daya, De La Soul, Easton Corbin, Fitz and the Tantrums, Jacob Whitesides, Kelsea Ballerini, Laurie Hernandez, Maddie and Tae, Aloe Blacc, Ben Rector, Regina Spektor, Lunchmoney Lewis, Mikey Brannigan, Gianfranco Iannotta, Hannah McFadden, Tatyana McFadden, The Muppets, Claressa Shields, Grace Vanderwaal, Tony Bennett, Timeflies, Michelle Carter, Sarah McLachlan, Diamante Electrico and Johnnyswim.

One concern of fans coming into this year’s event is potential security risks and threats, but Lee dismissed any issues.

“I never worry about security,” Lee said. “Macy’s runs a tight ship and an even tighter parade line.”

CARI K was born and raised in Shelby, and her family has owned property in Whitefish since the 1970s. Kevin is a New York native, whose parents still reside there. The couple met and married in New York, and Christian was born there. The family moved to Whitefish in 2006, where Kellie was born shortly after, and according to Cari K they “never looked back.”

Christian, in sixth grade, and Kellie, in fourth grade, both attend the Whitefish Christian Academy. They have been part of the Whitefish Winter Carnival parade previously, but this will be their first experience on a larger stage.

“We’ve always watched the parade, but this is a whole different thing,” Kevin said. “They are on the very first float, with no one else in front, just all these people and a wide open route ... I’m so proud. So excited and so proud.”

“It is such incredible exposure,” Cari K added. “I hope the experience inspires them, to know the sky is the limit on what they can do.”

Cari K and Kevin will be in the stands along the parade route, and “then we’ll drive to Long Island for turkey dinner,” Kevin said.

The family visits New York regularly, and Christian and Kellie said they are both looking forward to many things on this trip.

“I like the city,” Christian said. “Just in general. I like the pretzels they sell on the street. The only thing I don’t like is the traffic.”

“I like the toy stores,” Kellie added.

This year, the siblings said, they have a lot to be thankful for.

“I’m thankful we get to see our grandparents,” Christian said.

“I’m thankful for family, for all the time we spend with family,” Kellie said.

THE MACY’S Thanksgiving Day Parade begins at 9 a.m. EST today. Local viewers can watch the live broadcast on NBC (check local listings for channel number) or stream it live online at www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEVUjvSc8Wk. For more information on the parade, visit http://social.macys.com/parade/.

News editor Stefanie Thompson can be reached at 758-4438 or sthompson@dailyinterlake.com.