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Here's Where You Can Watch The 2016 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 23, 2016
Modified Nov 23, 2016
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Scott Lynch / Gothamist
By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 23, 2016
Modified Nov 23, 2016
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Are you ready for some big balloons, festive floats and marching bands? Then join the millions of people eager to take in the spectacle of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade tomorrow. Don't worry, the rain showers aren't expected until the afternoon.
The parade, which begins at 9 a.m., starts its route at Central Park West and 77th Street and goes down CPW. It travels across Central Park South, heads down 6th Avenue, and then stretches across 34th Street to Macy's. (Yes, many streets will be closed.)
Many spectators arrive along the route hours before it begins to secure spaces, and some industrious people bring their own viewing aids. (See photo below.)
Besides the beloved balloon gods which dance along the streets on this sacred day, there are many elaborate floats created across the river in New Jersey. Macy's says many are "three stories tall and several lanes of traffic wide, but must collapse to no more than 12 ½-feet tall and 8-feet wide in order to safely travel from the New Jersey studio to the Manhattan starting line via the Lincoln Tunnel."
From last year's parade (Scott Lynch / Gothamist)
Atop the floats are many of the this year's performers, like Tony Bennett, De La Soul, Regina Spektor; Sarah McLachlan; Christopher Jackson; and the Muppets. Other stars appearing include U.S. Olympic Gold Medalists Michelle Carter, Laurie Hernandez and Claressa Shields; U.S. Paralympic Gold Medalists Mikey Brannigan, Gianfranco Iannotta; Grace VanderWaal; and Jacob Whitesides; and ex-Rangers Adam Graves and Eric Graves.
Per Macy's, the parade will have in total, "16 giant character balloons; 27 novelty/ornament balloons, balloonicles and trycaloons; 26 floats; 1,100 cheerleaders and dancers; more than 1,000 clowns; and 16 marching bands and performance groups."
The balloons are being inflated this afternoon; here's a guide on where to watch them come to life.
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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