Alexandria native Alex Smith to ride on Louisiana’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade float

Alexandria native Alex Smith will be one of two Louisiana musicians featured on the state’s float in the 97th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Smith will be joined by Amanda Shaw, a Cajun fiddler from Mandeville, aboard the “Celebration Gator” for its third straight appearance in the parade.

“We are excited to have Amanda and Alex riding the Louisiana float this year and performing for us,” said Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser. “Once again, it is an amazing opportunity to share with the world our music and how Louisianans can ‘Feed Your Soul’ with our celebratory spirit.”

The parade airs on NBC and streams on Peacock on Nov. 23 from 8:30 a.m. until noon in all time zones.

Smith is a graduate of Holy Savior Menard Central High School and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. In announcing his participating on his Facebook page, Smith wrote that “it still doesn’t seem real.”

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He’s now based in Nashville. A few months ago, he was featured in a YouTube anthology series on Louisiana music and more of his music can be found on his own YouTube channel.

Louisiana’s float is the longest ever to participate in the Macy’s parade. It’s 60 feet long and features “a colorful street view of Louisiana: a blend of the New Orleans French Quarter architecture with heavy influences of Spanish colonial rule and Creole fashion,” reads a news release.

“In addition to celebrating the state’s unique fusion of European, Caribbean, African and Native American cultures, the float will include participants dressed in lavish baby gator costumes, as well as a team of stilt walkers, all done in an elaborate celebration of Louisiana traditions for millions of spectators in New York City and TV viewers across the nation.”