I’m in New York for Thanksgiving, and some family members have expressed an interest in going down to see the balloons being blown up for the Macy’s parade on Wednesday night. I understand they are inflated around 77th Street and Central Park West next to the Natural History Museum, and the public can watch. I have a few questions for New Yorkers who have been to see it.
When do they start? When is a good time to go? Is it crowded? How accessible is it to the pubilc? Any tips?
I forget precisely when, but it’s pretty early – well before sundown, so’s the kids can go. That said, they aren’t really getting inflated until 8:00 or so. Before that, they’re just kind of laying there. You’ll want to go a little later. But before 10:00 or 11:00. I forget precisely when, but they close the area at some point.
The reason is the answer to your next question. In the past five years or so, it has been absolutely mobbed. Just crazy. I don’t do it anymore, but I’m something of a claustrophobe, so YMMV.
It’s pretty accesible – just walk right up to it. Pedestrian traffic is one-way on both streets, IIRC, to keep the crowds flowing.
Tips? Get a friend who lives on the block to throw a balloon party. If you can finagle that, you’ll get better access and have a base.
Also, if you’re planning on having dinner in the area, book it now if you can.
I did the ‘tour’ two years ago with my then girlfriend.
We got there about 7:30PM I think, walked slowly around the 2 blocks (most of the balloons were half or more inflated - keeping in mind they inflate by parts). There were a lot of people, but everything moved smoothly, and we just followed the crowd (the balloons of course are inflated in the streets - you keep to the sidewalk side of metal rail barriers). Nice, but nothing too exciting.
And we got a table at a nice tex-mex resturant a few blocks down, no problem…
If you can finagle that, you’ll get better access and have a base.