New York City Event Guide | Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

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New York City Event Guide

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade


Event Information

 

Parade Participants

The Great Balloon Blowup

Where to View the Parade

Parade Map

Thursday November 24 2005 | 9:00A to 12:00N

Central Park West from 77th Street south to Columbus Circle | Broadway south from Columbus Circle to Herald Square | 34th Street from 6th Avenue west to 7th Avenue

Directions Take any subway to any stop between 42nd Street and 72nd Street | Viewing is restricted in the performance area between 34th & 38th Streets, so the 34th Street subway stops will not get you anywhere fast
Do Not Drive!

More info 212-494-4495 | Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Broadcast WNBC Ch 4 | 9:00A to 12:00N

 

Participants

Marching Bands Blue Spring High School, MO | Brooklyn Steppers, NY | Cades Drum & Bugle Corps | Crestview High School, FL | Hawaii All State Marching Band, HI | John B Alexander High School, TX | Kennesaw Mountain High School, GA | NYPD Marching Band, NY | Ohio University, OH | Pocono Mountain East High School, PA | Brooklyn Steppers, NY | University of Louisiana, LA

Performers & Celebrities  Marcus Allen | Aly & AJ | Otis Anderson | AntiGravity | B5 | Natasha Bedingfield | Beach Boys | Johnny Bench | Adrien Brody | Cheetah Girls | Kristen Chenoweth | Click Five | Harry Connick Jr | Rita Coolidge | Chelsea Cooley | Jeff Corwin | Roger Craig | Tiffany Evans | Michael Feinstein | Franco Harris | Highbridge Voices | Desmond Howard | Gena Howard | Krewe of Orpheus | Brie Larson | Brian McKnight | Shannon Miller | Leona Mitchell | Bobby Murcer | Aaron Neville | Preservation Hall Jazz Band | Peter Reckell | Radio City Rockettes | Rihanna | LeAnn Rimes | Jai Rodriguez | Royal Caribbean Singers & Dancers | Barry Switzer | Tommy Tune | Carrie Underwood | Jimmy Webb

From Broadway  the casts of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Jersey Boys and Sweet Charity

Balloons  Bandleader Barney | Baseball | Big Bird | Candy Cane | Charlie Brown | Chicken Little | Cloe the Holiday Clown | Dora the Explorer | Elf Family | Flying Fish | Frieda the Dachshund | Garfield | Happy Hippo | Harold the Fireman | Humpty Dumpty | Healthy Mr Potato Head | Ice Cream Cone | JoJo | M&M's Candies | Pikachu | Poinsettias | Pumpkins | Ronald McDonald | Scooby Doo | SpongeBob SquarePants | Super Grover | Uncle Sam | Weebles Tibby, Tooey & Bumpus | Wiggleworm

Float  123 Sesame | American Classic Malt Shop | Animals Wonders | Barbie | Big Apple | Bridge to the Future | Cornucopia | Dixie Crazy Kritters | Expedition to Rhino Mountain | Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi | Holiday Beat | Holiday Lovin' Oven | Kids Candy Creation Lab | Magic of Childhood | Mike Miller & Associates Pep Rally | NFL Road to Forty | Oklahoma Rising | Polar Express | Rocking Horse | Ship of Dreams | Soaring Spirit Canoe | Spirit of America | Teddy Bear Workshop | Tom Turkey | Tutenstein | Voyage to Adventure | and it's all followed, of course, by Santa & Mrs Claus

Kids' Favorites  Bearemy & Pawlette Coufur | Captain Macy | Digit | Knotty the Dog | Macy Parade Bears | Mother Goose & Friends | Muppets from Sesame Street | NFL Team Mascots | Piggly Winks | Pillsbury Doughboy | Power Panther | Princess Annika & Prince Alden | Puffy AmiYumi | Rainbow Cubs | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Walt Disney World characters | Wompkee

And a Whole Bunch More  Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales | Camp Broadway | McDonald's Big Red Shoe Car | NYC Parks Mounted Patrol | NYFD & NYPD Katrina Relief Workers | NYPD Motorcycle & Mounted Units | Pikamobile | Planters Nut Mobile | Spirit, the Seventh Fire | US Olympic Athletes

The Great Balloon Blowup

Wednesday November 23 2005 | 3:00P to 10:00P

Broadcast WNBC Ch 4 | 7:00P to 7:30P

Grab a cup of hot chocolate and stop by the Upper West Side the night before to watch your favorite characters come to life. The fantastic balloons rise from the streets surrounding the Museum of Natural History (77th to 81st Streets | between Central Park West & Columbus Avenues). You enter at 77th and Columbus, wind your way around the streets, and exit the area at 81st Street. The work starts early but most of the characters don't start to take shape until about 8:00P, and many are still rising in the wee morning hours. Keep in mind that it's almost always cold so be sure to dress warmly. And hey, it looks like the restroom facilities are getting better. According the folks at Macy's "these luxurious loos on wheels have all of the comforts of home, including hardwood floors, wallpaper and fully functional sinks." 

View the Parade

Note The now-usual (sorry to say) security procedures are in effect: no backpacks, oversized bags, coolers and such allowed and everybody is subject to search

We think the best viewing is just south of the beginning of the route, from 70th Street to around 60th Street along Central Park West is neat. As the contingents start on their trek, everybody is excited and eager to strut their stuff. This is the best spot if you don't have a lot of time, the parade should completely pass by in about 90 minutes

Things get a bit confusing and crowded in Columbus Circle area with camera platforms and bleachers (not open to the public). Any areas available for viewing are a bit further away from the marchers

From 57th Street south to 42nd Street is one of the best bets. Broadway isn't as wide as you think when it's filled with marching bands, so you get really up close and personal. Amazing, neck-straining views of the giant balloons will make any kid's day

Don't try to go south of 42nd Street, the parade route becomes much more crowded with many of the sidewalk viewers turned away from the performance area in Herald Square, restricted from 34th to 38th Streets

We tried the very end of the parade route one year, 34th Street from 6th to 7th Avenue and it doesn't have quite the same excitement. Tired and cold marchers make the turn for home after their time on television and it is very, very crowded -- why does everyone think they can watch at Herald Square? If this is your only option approach from the 7th Avenue side, it's almost impossible to get through from 6th Avenue

Thanksgiving Day Parade Map

S = Subway Station
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Route Map

 

One of our frequently asked questions is "How does my group participate in the Thanksgiving Day parade?" Just drop a line to: Band Selection Committee, Macy's Annual Events, 16th Floor, 151 W 34th Street, New York, NY, 10001. Or download the Macy's Parade Application form online (pdf file).


 

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