One of the most famous fall traditions in America is the annual, almost century-old “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” which has wowed audiences with huge inflatable balloons, songs sung by renowned musicians, Broadway performances and intricate floats.
The coronavirus pandemic prompted the company to make some changes to the parade this year —the causing it to become all-virtual — but the show still went on, and viewers got to enjoy the festivities from the comfort and safety of their own homes.
One New Yorker who attends the parade annually, 19-year-old Nora Carrier, said that she enjoyed this year’s event, even though it wasn’t the same as it normally is.
“I enjoyed this year’s parade, though it definitely wasn’t the same as previous years. I feel like Macy’s and everyone else did the best they could given the circumstances,” the Carrol Gardens resident said. “In a perfect world the parade would have been normal, but I appreciate all the hard work that everyone did to make sure the virtual parade was safe and entertaining.”
The 94th parade was only able to be viewed on television, instead also having people watch the succession from the traditional 2.5-mile route through the city like usual.
“Thanks to incredible partnerships with the city and state of New York, as well as a host of agency partners and a resilient team, together we will keep America entertained safely from the comforts of home this year,” Executive Producer of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Susan Tercero was quoted as saying in a press release. “While it will may look different in execution, we invite everyone to tune in and experience our incredible celebration on television featuring our signature character balloons, dazzling animated floats, whimsical clowns, world-class performances, and of course the arrival of Santa Claus, who will once again herald the start of the holiday season.”
This year’s performances, balloons and floats were filmed in front of the iconic 34th Street Herald Square Macy’s entrance over several days leading up to, and on the day of, Thanksgiving, so that no one would try to come and watch it as it happened.
According to a press release from the company, the parade was majorly scaled back, with the number of total participants being reduced by about 88% compared to previous years. Additionally, there were no participants under the age of 18 this year.
This was all done to prevent crowds from forming like they do in normal years; last year, the parade drew around 3.5 million in-person spectators.
Other COVID-19 safety measures included having the performers socially distance and wear masks, inviting primarily only performers who come from the tri-state area — which includes the increasingly coronavirus-laden states of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut — and having the balloons flown “without the traditional 80-100 handlers and instead employ an innovative, specially rigged anchor vehicle framework of five specialty vehicles tested and approved by the NYC Department of Transportation and the NYPD.”
Regardless of all the safety restrictions, the parade went on in similar festive fashion to previous years.
“For nearly 100 years the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has served as a milestone celebration that brings joy to millions of families nationwide and kicks off the holidays with unparalleled spectacle,” Tercero said. “Our safely reimagined broadcast will continue that cherished tradition, as viewers nationwide celebrate together bringing a much-needed sense of normalcy to our lives.”
The parade featured performances by the casts of the Broadway shows Hamilton, Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations, Jagged Little Pill and Mean Girls, plus the Radio City Rockettes.
Artists who performed included AJR, Lauren Alaina, Ally Brooke, Sofia Carson, CNCO, Karol G, Tori Kelly, Patti LaBelle, Darlene Love, Matthew Morrison, Keke Palmer, Dolly Parton, Pentatonix, Bebe Rexha and Brett Young.
Some of the old character balloons made it back to this year’s parade, such as Astronaut Snoopy, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, the Pillsbury Doughboy and Smokey the Bear, while two new balloons made their debut: Boss Baby and Red Titan.
Carrier, mentioned above, and her family usually attend the parade in person, which she told It’s Fall, Y’all is still the optimal way to experience the celebration.
“Me and my family have gone to the parade every year since I was little,” she said. “There’s something really special about being there. We would always have to wake up really early to get a good spot, and it was always super, super cold and you would stand in a huge crowd for hours, which might sound miserable but it was all a special part of our thanksgiving tradition. It’s always really fun to watch the marching bands and dancers who are so talented, and it would be really funny on a windy day when the balloons almost hit the buildings.”