The 97th annual Macy’s Parade kicked off from the American Museum of Natural History again this year, led by a marching band and featuring floats, enormous balloons, confetti, entertainers, and a huge and enthusiastic crowd lining the parade route. The logistics of coordinating the parade, making it secure, and handling the balloons are impressive. The parade is of course very commercial and the subtext is to start buying Christmas presents at Macy’s, where else? What any of it has to do with a famous dinner held in Massachusetts in 1621 is beyond the scope of this post, but if you’re a New Yorker it’s part of our beloved tradition.

The turkey float and its escorts preparing to march on Central Park West, startling a flock of pigeons

The Alabama A&M University Marching Band led off the parade

Marching down Central Park West

These people arrived at 5:30 AM to get bleacher seats for a parade that started at 8:30. They were cold but very enthusiastic.

The Smokey Bear balloon from the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service is a perennial favorite at the parade.

Another turkey float passes the American Museum of Natural History

Controlling the balloons is difficult and carefully choreographed. The volunteer balloon handlers practice in a stadium months before the parade and need to be able to handle the balloons in gusts of wind.

The balloon inflation starts the night before the parade outside the American Museum of Natural History and is the perfect place for dinosaurs to hatch.

Dinosaur traffic control

These people got their viewing spots at the barricades at 4:30 AM but their energy was undiminished.

The anime character Goku waiting to join the parade

Toward the end of the parade, Christmas-themed floats appear like this one reminding us to buy candy.

Macy’s considers the parade its gift to America.