Olaf is alive! Photo by Scott Lynch.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade will be a much less expansive event this year, the company announced on Monday. But Macy’s was able to salvage some of the signature elements of the annual event.
For instance: there will be balloons. They just won’t be in the same spots as usual. And sadly the annual balloon inflation event on Wednesday night has been called off too.
The entire event will be held in Herald Square this year, so it won’t wind through the Upper West Side. And the balloons will be held aloft by machines instead of humans. Here are the main details:
As part of Macy’s comprehensive health and wellness plan a number of changes will be implemented in order to execute this event safely. These changes include, but are not limited to the following:
- Reducing the overall number of participants by approximately 75%, and splitting the remaining participants over two days
- All participants will be appropriately socially distanced during performances and be required to wear face coverings and additional personal protective equipment depending on their role
- Shifting to a television-broadcast-only production with staging for Parade elements focused solely in/ around the Herald Square area of Midtown Manhattan
- The traditional 2.5-mile Parade route will not be utilized this year
- No participant in the Parade will be under 18 years of age
- Previously selected regional High School and College Marching Bands performances will be deferred to the 2021 Macy’s Parade, with locally based professional marching and musical ensembles taking musical duties in the lineup
- Macy’s traditional Giant Balloon Inflation public event on Wednesday will not take place
- Macy’s signature giant character balloons will be flown without the traditional 80-100 handlers and instead employ an innovative, specially rigged anchor vehicle framework of five specialty vehicles tested and approved by the NYCDOT and NYPD
It just won’t be Thanksgiving, without a parade, from Macy’s…. So sad.
I’m seriously worried that Xmas trees will not be sold on the streets of the UWS this year….
Wonderful‼️… For the first time ever no balloons inflated on West 77th St. or W. 81st St…. Great News 👍😷
Ditto. And no garbage either!
We need the parade because this is how Santa makes debut. To cancel the parade would cancel Christmas. I know it only says scaling back but just in case someone gets a studio idea, just let it go.
DeBlasio is the GRINCH!
World War II was rather grinch-like.
The Herald Square portion is mostly ads for big musicals. I wonder if that will still be the case as theater is dark? It would be wonderful to get performers and crew back on the payroll…but I won’t be watching. It’s not a parade, it’s a show.
Why will the balloons “be held aloft by machines instead of humans”? Aren’t the humans holding balloons OUTSIDE, with plenty of ventilation, and UV light? The balloon holders aren’t in each others’ faces, so wouldn’t this be a great place for humans to be involved?
I love the parade and will miss it. I will still tune in to this alternative but it just doesn’t sound the same. I love going every year with my kids – everyone loves the Thanksgiving parade (I generally dislike most other parades), but it is particularly fun to see it through the eyes of a child. Those years are precious and I’m sorry we will be missing this one. But I understand why they have to do this.
The balloon inflation by the AMNH has jumped the shark. What was once a fun neighborhood event became an overcrowded tourist trap. As the great Yogi Berra said, “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”