The 98th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade took place as scheduled on November 28th, despite the continuous rain. The organizers put in great effort to present a stunning performance, accompanied by the presence of police dogs for security. Undeterred by the weather, the audience arrived early in the morning at various viewing points in Manhattan, eagerly anticipating to witness the grand event of the year.
Starting at 8:30 am from West 77th Street and the west side of Central Park in Manhattan, the parade spanned approximately 2.5 miles. With 22 floats, 39 giant balloons, and numerous celebrity performances, the procession made its way towards Herald Square, where the flagship store of Macy’s is located.
As the parade reached Columbus Circle in Manhattan, the spectators’ excitement rose, engaging with the participants and shouting “Happy Thanksgiving.” The spectacular band performances and entertaining clown acts kept both adults and children thrilled. Especially as the colorful and cute classic cartoon balloons approached, exclamations of awe could be heard throughout the venue.
Among the crowd, Diana from Queens and her mother watched the parade with smiles on their faces. Diana expressed, “It’s a fantastic experience, filled with fun even in the rain. As New Yorkers, regardless of rain, snow, or sunshine, we come out to feel the holiday atmosphere.” To make sure they didn’t miss the parade starting at 8:30 am, they had arrived at 7:30 am.
Amanda, a visitor from Florida, mentioned her lifelong love for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, watching it on TV every year. Today, being there in person with her family for the first time, she felt “very excited,” braving the cold and rain, yet cherishing the unique experience up close. Her two daughters also expressed great joy.
Chinese spectators also braved the rain to enjoy the parade. Miss Li, from mainland China, watched the Thanksgiving Day Parade for the first time with her friends. Intrigued by the grand event as introduced by her friends, she arrived at the scene at 6 am to secure the best viewing spot. Excitedly, she remarked, “Such a beautiful event with lovely cartoon characters, it’s truly worth it.”
Residing nearby, Chinese woman Carol brought her two sons to watch the parade. One of her sons, in the seventh grade, remained glued to the spot. When a huge cartoon balloon resembling a “Ninja Turtle” dinosaur appeared, all the children’s eyes lit up. Carol, talking about what she is grateful for this holiday, said, “What I’m grateful for deep down is being able to see these balloons.”
Ms. Wang and her mother brought their 6-year-old son. She mentioned not expecting the rain to be so heavy, worrying if her son could endure till the end. Reflecting on the experience of watching the parade in the rain, she smiled happily and remarked that they came to join the fun for the first time today. They arrived before 7 am to see the beloved cartoons her child adores, including “Goku” from the Japanese anime “Dragon Ball.” She added, “But we are fine, as the performers have it tougher.”
Mr. Lin, who resides in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, took a leisurely pace with his family, arriving more than half an hour after the parade ended. Recording videos on his phone, he said, “Watching so many programs in the rain, it’s a different kind of fun.” Pointing to a building along the parade route, he chuckled, “The luckiest ones must be the people living there, not getting rained on and still being able to enjoy all this from their windows.”