Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2019
Folks we’re less than a week out from Thanksgiving. Today, we’re talking about an NYC Thanksgiving staple: The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It’s a bit hard to imagine that when the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade first began on Thanksgiving morning in 1924, the parade was a humble procession of employees dressed up in costumes that stretched the length of about two city blocks. It began at the intersection of 145th Street and Convent Avenue in Harlem, and the parade goers that lined up to see the very first ever Macy’s Christmas Parade, as it was then called, watched the entire thing in a matter of a few minutes.
New York City had never had a Thanksgiving Day Parade, but Macy’s first thought to host one in order to promote holiday shopping at the “World’s Largest Store”. The window displays at Macy’s featured fairy tale scenes from stories like Mother Goose and Little Red Riding Hood that year, and the first parade mimicked the windows with floats featuring Little Miss Muffet, Mother Goose and the Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe. The Central Park Zoo loaned bears, elephants, monkeys and camels, who paraded through the traffic-jammed streets of NYC while just four bands marched along. Approximately 10,000 people turned out at Macy’s to cheer on Santa as he brought up the rear of theparade finally completing the six mile journey around noontime. It was barely a story in the newspaper the next day (the New York Herald printed a mere two sentences about the spectacle, but Macy’s considered it a huge success and announced they would host a bigger and better parade the following year. Hooray for us! The Parade quickly became a holiday tradition for many New Yorkers. Only the animals, loaned by the Central Park Zoo for the few years, were less than enthusiastic- poor things. But because of the many issues that arose, in 1927 the first helium character balloon was introduced. It was Felix the Cat! Other iconic balloons we know and love today include Hello Kitty, Sincalir’s Dino and Ronald McDonald. Another change was that the parade route was scaled back from six miles to two miles, but following decades saw the size of the parade grow as everyone involved felt inspired to reach for the stars in wowing the spectators. The one thing that has remained consistent since the Macy’s Parade started in 1924, however, is Santa Clause as the showstopper, and it’s his arrival at Macy’s Herald Square that officially marks the start of the holiday season in NYC. So, before you get turnt on turkey and settled in to watch some football, pop some cinnamon rolls in the oven and tune into the 2019 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Now, if you happen to be in NYC during Thanksgiving, you might consider catching a glimpse of the parade sometime between your shopping, sipping eggnog lattes, watching the Rockettes’ famous high kicks in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular or admiring the massive glittering tree in Rockefeller Center as skaters glided by on the rink below. Here are some Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade tips.
See the balloons being inflated
It is far less crowded and you have a much better chance of seeing the balloons up close by attending the free viewing of the famous big balloon inflation outside the American Museum of Natural History. It is available to the public on 77th and 81st streets between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue from 1 – 8pm the night before the Parade.
Get up very early and dress in layers
What time does the Macy’s parade start? It begins at 9am but approximately 3.5 million parade-goers take to the streets wanting the perfect view. Plan to arrive to claim your spot along the Macy’s parade route by 6am and don’t (I repeat, DO NOT) plan on moving from that spot. I highly recommend packing a emergency bag with snacks, a thermos of hot chocolate, and games or books to keep your kids entertained while waiting for the parade to begin. And remember that NYC wind can have quite the bite, so dress warmly in layers. Also, there aren’t any designated seating areas, handicapped areas, or seats sold. The bleachers and seats you may have seen on the telecasts of the Parade are designated for Macy’s employees and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade tickets are never sold or open to the general public.
Know the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade route
The Macy’s Day Parade route has changed in the last couple of years, so be sure to verify the current Parade route. The 2019 Parade begins at 77th Street and Central Park West at 9am and marches south on Central Park West. At Columbus Circle, the Parade then turns East onto Central Park South instead of heading down Broadway as it has in past years. When the Parade reaches 6th Avenue, it turns south at the corner of Central Park South and marches south from 59th Street to 34th Street. From 6th (Avenue of the Americas), it heads west on 34th Street and ends in Macy’s Herald Square at around 12pm. Many agree that the best spot to watch the parade from is Columbus Circle. Also note that there is no viewing access on 6th Avenue between 34th Street and 38th Street; this is the official telecast area. There is also no public viewing access at Macy’s Herald Square.
The most popular viewing spots along the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Route 2019 are:
Central Park West (Points B to C)
The Parade begins at 77th Street and Central Park West, but there is no public viewing at the official start area. Public viewing areas officially start at 72th Street and are only open to the public on the west side. There is invite-only grandstand viewing along Central Park West. The Parade runs this stretch of the Macy’s Parade Route from 9am – 10:30am, so if you’re concerned about being out in the cold for a number of hours this is a prime spot to see it all and be back indoors to catch performances in front of Macy’s Herald Square on the television.
Columbus Circle (Point C)
Unfortunately, Columbus Circle sidewalk access is closed off to public viewing as of 2018 and the only way to watch from there is by booking a parade view room hotel. Hotel guests have VIP access to the sidewalk, though NYPD will have the final call on access. The Shops at Columbus Circle now open at 9am on Thanksgiving Day. You can line up and snag an indoor spot on the second or third levels to see an elevated view of the balloons going by. While you’ll stay toasty warm, the pitfall is that you won’t really hear the bands and performers on parade floats as they go by.
Central Park South (Points C to D)
The Macy’s Parade Route 2019 turns on to Central Park South at Columbus Circles and marches along for a short distance until it turns again on to Sixth Avenue.
Sixth Ave (Points D to F)
The Parade reaches Sixth Avenue at 59th Street starting at 9:30am, so you should be out to grab a spot from 59th to 38th Street by 7am. Anywhere along this stretch is a good option if you want to catch a few extra z’s.
Find and book a reservation at NYC restaurant nearby for lunch if you don’t have plans
Once the Parade ends, everyone will be pushing their way to subways and out of the areas closed off to traffic to try to hail taxis. Instead of joining the stampede, find a nearby restaurant that is open on Thanksgiving and make a reservation for lunch. You can wait out the crowds while warming up over a hot meal.
There’s the traditional Thanksgiving dinner offered at The Sea Grill in Rockefeller Center, which is sadly in its last year for 2019 as the lease ends in January 2020. The Sea Grill has been a quintessential NYC holiday dining destination and is one of New York’s finest seafood restaurants. Turkey with all the trimmings can be enjoyed while watching skaters on the world-famous Rockefeller Center ice rink. It’s an excellent choice if you want to stay in Midtown. Another option for a Midtown restaurant is The Wayfarer, which is offering a Thanksgiving a pre-fixe menu whose highlights include holiday favorites such as butternut squash soup to start, roast turkey with chestnut stuffing and cranberry orange sauce as the main and pumpkin pie for dessert.
FUN FACT: The cast of Sesame Street has made 42 consecutive appearances at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Whatever your plans for Thanksgiving, all of us at Sovereign wish you a warm, lovely day with lots of family, friends and food.
