The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade turns 100 this year. The parade will take place in Manhattan on Thursday, Nov. 26, and the inflation of the giant balloons is scheduled for the day before, Wednesday, Nov. 25, around the American Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side.
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade marks its 100th edition this year. Macy's said on its official parade page that it continues to unveil commemorative merchandise, balloons and floats ahead of the "100th Parade." The parade will be held in Manhattan on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 26.
In a guide published Oct. 29, the travel information outlet TravelPirates reported that the parade is expected to start at about 8:30 a.m. that day and run until around noon. In recent years, the route has started at West 77th Street and Central Park West on the Upper West Side, then passed Columbus Circle, Central Park South and Sixth Avenue before ending in front of the Macy's flagship store at Herald Square. However, this year's official route map has not yet been released, according to the report.
The inflation of the giant balloons is expected to take place around the American Museum of Natural History on Wednesday, Nov. 25, the day before the parade. This year's hours have not yet been announced. Last year, entry was open from 1 to 6 p.m. at West 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue. The balloons usually take full shape in the middle of the afternoon or later.
Balloons and Floats for the 100th Anniversary
According to TravelPirates, this year's parade will feature a record 100 balloons and floats. The "Blue Hippopotamus," which floated off into the sky during the 1931 parade, "Felix the Cat," the first character balloon in 1927, and "Underdog," returning for the first time since 1984, are on the list of comebacks. New balloons include Disney's "Sorcerer's Apprentice Mickey" and "Joe Cool and Woodstock." A float of Harry Potter's Hogwarts Great Hall will also pass through Manhattan.
On parade day, vehicle traffic on crosstown streets is expected to be heavily restricted from 7 a.m. to about 1 p.m. For road closures and public transit changes on the day of the event, it is safest to check announcements from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The route and times will be finalized as Macy's officially announces them.