April Fools Day Parade

- Brain child of: Joey Skaggs
- Began advertising the parade in 1986
- Sponsors of the 24th annual parade: New York State Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and the Troubled Assets Relief ProgramApril Fools Day:New York City's 24th Annual April Fools' Day Parade
- Theme for 2009: "Take the Money and Run."April Fools Day:New York City's 24th Annual April Fools' Day Parade
- Grandmaster: Bernie Madoff lookalike
- Floats will be led by the U.S. Treasury Printing Press float "spewing out money to the crowd"April Fools Day:New York City's 24th Annual April Fools' Day Parade

The April Fools Day Parade is a long running hoax in New York City. Created by artist and prankster Joey Skaggs in 1986, a parade has never, not once, been held in New York City on April 1. April 1, 2009 would be the 24th annual parade and it, like the 23 previous parades, will in fact never be held. So don't go. Really.
Flyer for the 24th Annual April Fools Day Parade

"The 24th Annual April Fools' Day Parade will begin at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street at 12 noon, Wednesday, April 1st, 2009. Rain or shine, the parade will march down to 23rd Street, where it will continue down Broadway to Union Square Park for post-parade festivities. For several blocks, the parade route will require a mad dash through a gauntlet of teetering construction cranes." —Joey Skaggs' latest flyerApril Fools Day:New York City's 24th Annual April Fools' Day Parade
Parade History

Joey Skaggs began issuing press releases announcing a New York City April Fools Day Parade in 1986. The first April Fools Day Parade was advertised to help crown the Fool of the Year. The parade was to have featured a 76-trombone band, floats and banners. The parade would march down 5th Avenue from 59th Street to Washington Square Park, beginning at 12:00 noon on the first. The parade was designed, according to Skaggs, to "commemorate the perennial folly of mankind—April 1st" and "bring people back in touch with their inherent foolishness".Joey Skaggs: Retrospective (Retro)
In 2000, the release announced the 15th Annual New York City April Fool's Day Parade. The parade was reportedly going to start at 59th Street at noon, proceeding down 5th Avenue. CNN and Fox bit, sending crews to cover the parade. When the reporters arrived at 59th Street, and saw no sign of a parade, they realized they'd been had, yet again.Joey Skaggs: Retrospective (Retro)
The 2008 press release announced that George Bush would lead the parade, while being "pursued by an outraged lynch mob." Featured floats included the "Michael Vick Dog Fight" float, and a special float on which former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer was surrounded by prostitutes.Joey Skaggs: Retrospective (Retro)