The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: How and Where to Enjoy the Festivities

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a quintessential American tradition. It’s an event where families nationwide gather around the TV or travel to New York City for a spectacular show. Macy’s department store employees spend the entire year preparing for this spectacle, which has a long and fascinating history. For more, visit newyorkski.info.

What Happens During the Parade?

The parade tradition began in 1924 as a way to attract new customers to the department store. To this day, it remains one of the largest and most significant events in New York City.

The Macy’s Parade takes place on the last Thursday of November, Thanksgiving Day. Over two million people line the long route to cheer on the participants and enjoy the incredible spectacle.

Even though the parade falls on a weekday, Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday, so most Americans have the day off from work. The exceptions are those who work in hospitality, healthcare, or other service industries.

All banks, government offices, and most businesses are closed on Thanksgiving.

So, most Americans either relax at home or wake up early to watch the parade, either live in Manhattan or on TV. Later in the day, friends and families traditionally gather at home for a big dinner and to watch American football.

What to Do in NYC on Thanksgiving?

Go to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! It’s also broadcast live on TV on the “NBC” channel. Immediately after the parade, another Thanksgiving tradition takes place: the National Dog Show. After dinner, a popular custom is to watch movies at home or in the movie theater.

Since most Broadway shows and museums are closed on Thanksgiving, you might expect the evening to be quieter and slower than usual—but that’s not the case.

On parade day, you can get a head start on Black Friday shopping, which kicks off right after the festival in the evening. Just be sure to check in advance what will be open on Thanksgiving in NYC.

If you want to do something special on Thanksgiving, you could book a Thanksgiving dinner cruise. You can enjoy the panoramic Manhattan skyline at night while a chef prepares a fantastic meal. It’s a perfect way to relax and unwind. You’ll get back from the cruise around 10 p.m., so if you’re in the mood to shop, you can still join the “crazy” Black Friday shopping crowds.

Where Is the Best Place to Watch the Parade?

For the best parade viewing spots, head to the west side of Central Park between 60th and 70th Streets. We don’t recommend standing in Herald Square and between 34th and 38th Streets, which is where the national television broadcast will be located. Before you go, it’s a good idea to check the official Macy’s Parade website for up-to-date information, as the route and viewing areas are subject to change.

Where Can You Watch the Macy’s Parade From a Restaurant?

If you want to guarantee a great spot to watch the parade, you can book a place. For example, you can reserve a spot inside a warm building or on a private, outdoor viewing platform. These venues often provide access to restrooms, food, and drinks.

Restaurant Options

1. Celebrate Thanksgiving at Gotham Hall. At this beautiful venue, you can watch the parade from a private outdoor viewing platform. Inside, you can enjoy a variety of brunch dishes, an open bar, and live entertainment. This option is also great for kids, as the program includes face painting, a magician, and balloon artists.
2. Enjoy a Thanksgiving Day brunch with cocktails during the Macy’s Parade. Watch the giant balloons float past the brunch location on the Thanksgiving Day parade route. Panoramic windows offer views of the parade. Plus, you can go downstairs and see the procession from an outdoor viewing platform. A delicious brunch and cocktails await you during the parade.
3. You can also book a great spot along the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade route with a good view of the floats. You can stay in a warm indoor area or watch the parade from a private outdoor zone. If you get hungry, a buffet-style brunch is available.

The Balloon Inflation

On the evening before Thanksgiving, you can watch as the giant balloons of popular comic book and cartoon characters are inflated. This happens in a designated area near the American Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. You’ll need plenty of patience to get there, as the area is roped off. The preparation process attracts a huge number of spectators, so it gets very crowded. Lines start forming at 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue as early as noon. The area is typically open to the public until 6 p.m.

Interesting Facts About the Parade

1. Organizational Challenges: It takes at least 90 people to handle the average balloon. The balloons hold an average of 13,000 cubic feet of helium, so handlers must be in good health and weigh at least 160 pounds.
2. Each balloon has a designated pilot who directs the volunteers as they navigate the entire 2.5-mile parade route. These pilots, who are also volunteers, attend field training to prepare for the big day.
3. Expensive Helium: Macy’s is the world’s second-largest consumer of helium; the U.S. government is first. More than 3.2 million cubic feet of helium—or three and a half Olympic-sized swimming pools’ worth—are needed to inflate the balloons. Helium is a finite resource, and the cost to fill a single balloon can be more than $500,000.
4. The Tallest Balloon: Snoopy may be the parade’s biggest star, but he’s not the tallest balloon. In 1980, a character called Superman appeared, standing at nearly 77 feet tall, making him the tallest balloon in the parade’s history.
5. Pricey PR: Macy’s balloon designers begin preparing a year before the parade. The cost to design and create a brand new balloon is about $190,000, while subsequent appearances cost $90,000 per year. All balloons are made, prepared, and tested before Halloween and then stored in a warehouse at the Macy’s Parade Studio.
6. Modern Art: All the giant balloons are works of art—they are specially designed and hand-painted by the Macy’s Parade Studio team in New Jersey.
7. Testing and Safety: Before the parade, balloons are tested and safety precautions are taken to avoid incidents. Accidents have happened in the past when balloons have snagged on power lines, signs, tree branches, and streetlights, damaging the balloon and even injuring spectators. For example, in 1931, the Felix the Cat balloon caught fire after getting tangled in telephone lines. The last incident where spectators were injured occurred in 2005 when the M&M balloon crashed into a lamppost near Times Square, causing it to fall and injure two women.
8. Cold Is No Obstacle: The parade has never been canceled due to cold weather. In 2018, the Thanksgiving temperature was 21°F (-6°C), making it the coldest parade in the show’s history. Spectators and performers alike, including Diana Ross, John Legend, and Martina McBride, were advised to cover their fingertips, earlobes, and noses to prevent frostbite.
9. Inflation: Inflating the giant balloons takes approximately 10 hours, so the process begins on the night before the parade. The balloons are inflated in the staging area at 77th Street and Central Park, near the American Museum of Natural History. Locals and tourists gather to watch “the show.”
10. Deflation: After the parade ends, the balloons are deflated behind Macy’s on Seventh Avenue. It takes only 15 minutes to release the air from each balloon. Volunteers simply unzip both sides of the balloons and jump on them to squeeze out the excess helium.

Used sources: ​​

1. https://www.newyork.co.uk/thanksgiving-in-new-york/
2. https://www.newyork.co.uk/what-is-open-on-thanksgiving-in-new-york/
3. https://campfire.consulting/blog/the-history-of-the-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade/#:~:text=The%20first%20Macy’s%20Thanksgiving%20Day,they%20were%20living%20in%20Europe.