The march will begin on the Upper West Side and then proceed to Central Park West.
The annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade attracts people from all around the world. Every New Year’s Eve, dozens of huge balloons and spectacular floats with breathtaking performances add to the enchantment.
Last year’s parade was a modest pandemic event in Herald Square, just close to Macy’s main shop. The parade will begin on the Upper West Side and go to Central Park West, over Central Park South, and down Sixth Avenue before turning into 34th Street and proceeding to Macy’s on Broadway.
Have you ever wondered how many hours it takes to create a show? Or, how many people are in the parade? And do you know how tall the tallest balloon is? Or how many gallons of paint are used in total for all of the designs? Well, let’s find out with Illume.
In case you were wondering, the actual number is 240 gallons, along with 375 brushes. But what about the rest of them?
Parade
This annual celebration, which is widely regarded as the start of the Christmas season, has been going on for a long time, and this year marks the parade’s 95th anniversary. The first parade was held in 1924, but it was canceled owing to World War II in 1942, 1943, and 1944.
Giant character helium balloons
The balloons, which range from large character balloons like Pillsbury Dough Boy, Snoopy, and Pikachu to newbies Ada Twist, Scientist, and Baby Yoda, aka Grogu, will be inflated on the Upper West Side on Wednesday, November 24th.
The inflation will be available to the public between 12 and 6 p.m., with capacity limitations to ensure social distancing in addition to vaccinated guests.
The tallest balloon this year is 62 feet tall (Diary of a Wimpy Kid), the longest balloon is 72 feet wide (Sinclair’s DINO), and the widest balloon is 37 feet thick (tie: Funko’s Grogu and Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog).
Police walk by an inflated helium balloon of Grogu, also known as Baby Yoda, from the Star Wars show The Mandalorian, Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2021, in New York, as the balloon is ready for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
Mile route
The parade travels through Manhattan’s streets, beginning at West 77th Street and Central Park West and ending in front of the historic Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street in Herald Square. Columbus Circle, Central Park South, and 6th Avenue are all covered by the walkway. Two to three million people are expected to crowd the streets to watch the action.
Floats
There are a total of 28 floats, each of which is made up of hundreds of various scenic and structural features. The floats, however, are not moved by themselves; they are towed by trucks driven by members of New York’s Theatrical Teamsters, Local 817. Drivers must even wear a jacket and tie to the parade, according to Car and Driver.
