A quintessential NYC Thanksgiving experience is watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but thousands actually line up the day before to get a glimpse of the parade balloons get inflated. If you aren’t able to get down to Midtown for the Macy’s Parade on Thursday but still want to catch a glimpse of the floats in the flesh, this is actually a perfect alternative.
This year, the inflation takes place on Wednesday, November 21, from 3-10pm, running from 77th through 81st Streets, between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue. Here are some tips for catching the event:
Bring the Right People With You
You can’t choose your family, but you can choose who in your family should come with you to watch the inflation of the balloons. Because it’s often very crowded, tots in strollers and children in grade-school who can deal with crowds should be fine.
Get There Early
Although this event isn’t as much of a madhouse as the actual parade, don’t underestimate the power of the masses. At 200 Central Park West, the American Museum of Natural History is at the heart of the event, and there will be a designated path around the museum that attendants can line up at for their viewing pleasure. But beware: The balloons don’t begin taking shape until around 3pm, and admission to the inflation area usually stops at 9:15pm, so plan accordingly.
Watch Them Get Deflated Instead
So you had too much Thanksgiving prep to do and you missed the inflation, then got too exhausted on T-Day and missed the parade? No worries! Head over to 34th Street and Sixth Avenue post-parade to watch the balloons get deflated on the side streets. That is–as long as watching Buzz Lightyear go from superhero in the sky to crumpled up canvas won’t crush your children’s dreams.
