The 89th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will take place today in the heart of New York City, and people are expecting it to break crowd records.
From a simple, citywide celebration, the thanksgiving parade has become a grandiose event where more than giant floats roam the streets of New York, and several notable celebrities and artists perform.
T-minus 7 hours and 58 minutes until #MacysParade ! Get all the details you need: https://t.co/fSJKglpI5h pic.twitter.com/lz80f26nE3
— Playbill (@playbill) November 26, 2015
“This is one of the great nights every year in New York City,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio in a press conference . “It’s something we’re proud of and something that makes us realize just how great this city is,” he added.
The city mayor also thanked the city police department for their support and the security they will be providing during the Macy’s parade. Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said that the NYPD is anticipating record-breaking crowds on Thursday morning, mainly due to the “incredible weather” for tomorrow’s event.
NYPD Chief of Counterterrorism James Waters: “We’re well prepared” for the Thanksgiving Day Parade tomorrow.” #Greta pic.twitter.com/VzJAepZHEG — Fox News (@FoxNews) November 26, 2015
In effect, Bratton said that he will deploy 2,500 officers in addition to the thousands more who patrol the area every day.
Even before the actual event, thousands flocked near the American Museum of Natural History Wednesday evening to catch a glimpse of the inflation of the floats that would take part in today’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Some of the giant floats include Eruptor from Skylanders, Snoopy Woodstock, Hello Kitty, and Thomas the Tank Engine. There are also the smaller ones such as the Kool-Aid Man and the Happy Hippo.
Read some fun facts about the annual #MacysParade on #Thanksgiving https://t.co/nwjmn8Ea2b pic.twitter.com/2CF79CaDEt
— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) November 26, 2015
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade executive producer Amy Kule said everyone is blessed with such fine weather, and that they are ready to entertain the 3.5 million people who will be coming out as well as more than 50 million people who will be watching the festivities on TV.
TIME
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will kick off today, Nov. 26 at 9:00 a.m. and end at 12:00 p.m. ET/PT. However, for people who are going to watch the parade on TV, they may check with their local providers for the TV stations that will broadcast the event. To know who will broadcast the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year, check your local NBC stations.
WEATHER
Forecasters reported that New York City will be partly cloudy during the parade, with temperatures hovering around 43 degrees at around 7:00 a.m. Temperatures will slowly rise to 48 degrees during the actual kick-off of the Macy’s parade.
Going to the Thanksgiving Day Parade in Silver Spring Sat.? Bundle up! & see @thejuliewright & @ABC7Brian ! @ABC7news pic.twitter.com/G2qgqHIhfy — Eileen Whelan (@ABC7EileenW) November 17, 2015
Manhattan should experience “above average” temperatures at 58 degrees after the parade is over. New Yorkers and visitors can expect temperatures seven degrees warmer than the previous day.
The floats will also be a lot easier to manage for balloon operators, as forecasters predict a “gentle breeze” of around 4mph. Chances of rain in the morning were low at 10 percent.
WHAT TO WEAR
Because the morning will be chilly, people who are attending the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade should wear long sleeved t-shirts layered with a lined windbreaker. They should also wear gloves, scarves, and wool hats to keep them comfortable while waiting for the floats and watching the parade.
Weather forecast for 2015 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade https://t.co/RRspfikOzk
— NJ.com (@njdotcom) November 25, 2015
Thick shoes or boots are recommended, as well as thick socks, especially for people who plan to stay in one place during the entire parade.
BEST SPOTS
There are three recommended spots from where people can watch the Macy’s parade on Thursday morning: along Central Park West, around Time Warner Center, and along Sixth Avenue between Central Park South and 38th Street.
Meanwhile, places to avoid during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade include the section from 38th street to Herald Square and Macy’s department store, which will be designated as a telecast area, and along 34th Street between Broadway and Seventh Avenue due to the cameras, scaffolding, and lights installed in the area.
[Image via Twitter ]
