Balloons, Floats and Some Protests Kick Off Holiday Season at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The 97th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade was largely peaceful as an estimated 3 million plus people turned out under clear skies to join in the festive holiday event. Despite temperatures that, in the shadows of midtown, didn’t get out of the chilly 40s, at the parade’s peak, sidewalks and intersections were jammed three-four-five and sometimes more bodies deep.

The parade was also marked by a number of pro-Palestinian protests on the route. These were not spontaneous affairs. Having apparently scouted out areas with less robust security, one group of about twenty young protesters rushed onto 6th Avenue just north of 55th Street to unfurl a banner with slogans of the “Free Palestine” movement. The line of march paused, including the McDonald’s float and its accompanying Ronald McDonald balloon just behind them, as police acted to peacefully remove protestors.

Between 45th and 46th Streets, the demonstration was more theatrical, befitting the blocks proximity to Broadway. Some of the protestors unfurled a banner reading: “Genocide Then. Genocide Now. Free Palestine. Give Land Back.” The protestors, most clad in white, made a show of dousing themselves in fake blood and gluing themselves to the pavement, though whether their adhesion effort actually worked was unclear. Members of the NYPD Strategic Response Group, the Disorder Control Unit and other cops made quick work of removing the protestors, while Leo the Lizard—star of a new animated musical with Adam Sandler as the voice of the reptile—floated behind them. Police said on Friday that 34 people were busted for their role in the protests. Most were given a criminal summons and released although a handful are facing various other charges that included obstructing governmental administration, disorderly conduct, trespass and in some cases resisting arrest and harassment.

Commenting on the protests on X, formerly known as Twitter, Newsday columnist Dan Janison wryly observed, “Pro-Palestine protestors disrupt NYC Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Yeah that’ll win American hearts and minds...”

Some press reports conflated the two separate protests about a half mile apart into one. Press access along the route was restricted due to heightened security concerns by Macy’s and the NYPD.

As the parade was winding down, a larger group of about 400 to 500 marched up Eight Ave. chanting “Palestine will never die.” One cop walking alongside the protestors commented, “It’s peaceful so far, thank God.” A few blocks later, marchers reached 42nd St. and threw fake blood and scrawled “Genocide” on the walls of the New York Public Library.

The earlier protests did not derail the parade as most marchers worked around them. Most of the spectators seemed more interested in the 25 balloons, 31 floats and 11 marching bands.

The swirling winds that at times guested to over 40 MPH seemed to get the better of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid balloon which was flying low after it partially deflated and the Monkey D. Luffy balloon–where a collision after it was blown into a tree branch had caused his signature straw hat to deflate.

The event is always a big draw for families who come from far and wide. The Johnson family, watching from a vantage point on W. 42nd St. had flown in from New Orleans. Joe Johnson said he and his wife Colleen, were accompanied by daughter Victoria and two grandsons, Harrison and Anders.

“We’re celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary,” said Joe Johnson. Harrison, who was perched on granddad’s shoulders, is turning four years old on the same day as their anniversary, Joe said and added their of their visit was “so far, so good.”

Asked for his favorite balloon, Harrison said, “the turkey!” which had just floated past. One-and-a-half year old Anders seemed more intent on grabbing his mom’s sunglasses.

Chris Cholua did not have quite as far to go to reach the parade. He came from south Jersey to watch and perched his four-year-old daughter Daijsel on his shoulders on W. 42nd St. Asked for her favorite float, she opted for “Paw Patrol” and “Stuart the Minion.”

Among other popular balloons this year were Snoopy from Peanuts dressed in a new outfit as a “Beagle Scout”; Blue Cat and Chugs; Sponge Bob; Dino and Baby Dino; Baby Shark; Goku; Kung Fu Panda; and Smokey Bear, shirtless and barefoot while also clad in blue jeans, a hat, and carrying a large spike maul.

It was not just the spectators who came from far and wide. Among the notable marching bands were those from Alabama A&M, one of that state’s historically black colleges, Rutgers from nearby New Jersey, the University of Illinois; and the Mercer Island High School from Washington State.

This year featured seven new floats including the Deliciously Delectable World of Wonka, sponsored by Nickelodeon and Paramount and a new version of the Pillsbury Dough Boy balloon one of seven new balloon additions this year.

The largest float in the parade, at 3.5 stories tall and 60 feet long remains Santa’s sleigh, which is the last float to make its way down the parade route, to the delight of youngsters who had stayed for the whole event, which took over three hours, plus waiting time to get a good spot.

This year’s parade started at 8:30 a.m., a half hour earlier than in recent years at Central Park West and W. 77th St. and made its way down Sixth Avenue before finishing in Herald Square in front of Macy’s.