Posted on 11/23/2008 8:24:58 PM PST by Coleus
He is the bridge that connects Thanksgiving to Christmas, autumn to winter, the calm store aisles of early November to the go-go-go shopping season of December.
Santa Claus is expected to arrive in Herald Square a few minutes before noon. He will follow 10 bands, 13 giant balloons, 28 floats, 900 clowns and 1,700 cheerleaders. Millions of people will line the streets of Manhattan, waiting for the moment when Jolly Old St. Nick puts the finishing touches on this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 82nd Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
When: 9 a.m. to noon Thursday
Where: Manhattan
Parade route: The parade starts at 77th Street and runs down Central Park West until it turns into Broadway. It proceeds south through Manhattan, passing Columbus Circle and Times Square before wrapping up near Herald Square. The parade route turns right at 34th Street and ends one block west at Seventh Avenue.
Where to watch: Viewing areas include the west side of Central Park West, from 70th Street to Columbus Circle, and the east side of Central Park West, from 70th to 65th streets; the west side of Columbus Circle; Broadway, from 58th to 38th streets.
Restricted areas: Broadway, between 38th and 34th. There will be limited viewing on the south side of 34th from Broadway to Seventh Avenue.
Advice from the parade’s Web site: “Please leave folding chairs at home. They will become cumbersome when the crowds start filling up the sidewalk and will have to be folded up. Dress in layers to keep warm. November in Manhattan can be quite cold. Come rain or shine.”
New balloons: Horton, Buzz Lightyear, Smurf.
The rest of the lineup: Abby Cadabby, Beethoven, Dora the Explorer, Flying Ace Snoopy, “Supercute” Hello Kitty, Kermit the Frog, Pikachu, Ronald McDonald, Shrek and SpongeBob SquarePants.
Balloon inflation: 3 to 10 p.m. Wednesday. Spectators are welcome to attend. The entrance is at 77th Street and Columbus Avenue.
TV: 9 a.m. to noon Thursday, NBC.
YIPPPPEEEEEE
We will be there .....
:)
My wife and 2 girls are making the trip from Tennessee to see the parade for the first time. They are all excited more than I’ve seen for a while. I have to work, and I won’t miss the crowd a bit.
Where in TN are you ???
I’m taking my granddaughters...
:)
We’re in Brighton, just North of Memphis.
We live near Chattanooga...
There’s no school on Wednesday...
We’re flying up early that morning...
One of my grands just turned 6 on Friday...
It’s her birthday present...
:)
Our youngest is in the Fayetteville High School band. They are marching in the parade. They left yesterday and arrived there today by bus. They are so exited.
Judging by the posts so far, it might be the first “all southern” parade ever.
There have to be some locals or parade veterans that can tell us a few good places to go to watch. Freepers......???
i hope they had a great time. I have pictures on another thread. hit parade in the keywords.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.