How New Jersey makes the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade happen
The 95th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is right around the corner. Sure, New York gets all the credit for putting on the parade, but did you know Jersey's connection to the annual tradition?
While the Thanksgiving spectacle takes place on the streets of New York, the beginnings of the creative process take place right here in the Garden State!
Moonachie, NJ in Bergen County is the home of the Macy's Parade Studio. This is the facility where about 30 artisans work throughout the whole year to create the parade's massive floats, balloons, and costumes, according to this piece from NJMonthly.
Every year the team is responsible for making between four and six new floats and three to five huge balloons. In addition to making new creations, they also touch up dozens of floats and balloons from previous years that are held in a separate facility.
This year there will be six new floats and a total of 28 floats.
There will also be an entirely new element to the parade, a "floalloonicle," which is part-balloon, part-float according to the executive producer of the parade, Will Coss. He says, "it’s got an interior structure and sort of s stage for our talent on top. But it also has a balloon element, which is the actual pirate ship itself."
The floats are taken into New York City via the Lincoln Tunnel in various pieces, once they are through the tunnel, they get reassembled for the parade.
This year's parade, which will not require COVID vaccinations for the crowds, will start at 9 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day at Central Park West and 77th Street. It will air on NBC with hosts Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker.
Happy Turkey Day!
The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Kylie Moore. Any opinions expressed are Kylie's own. You can follow Kylie on Instagram.