Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons come to life during traditional inflation event

UPPER WEST SIDE, Manhattan (WABC) — The day before Thanksgiving calls for two holiday traditions: the inflation of the parade balloons, and the children of Eyewitness News reporters covering all the excitement.

That honor went to Jacob Einiger again this year! He was live on the Upper West Side with his father Josh.

The stars of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade came to life Wednesday before their epic journey Thursday.

“I love the Wimpy Kid guy and I love minions. Honestly, they’re all really cool. I like Bluey one and Minion,” said Mila and Kian Puri.

Based on the audience reaction, Minion seemed to be the favorite.

Nobody likes inflation, but everybody likes balloons.

Kathleen Donohue Wright of Macy’s Studios is responsible for setting it all up. She told Jacob that it is not easy.

“We start our production for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 18 months in advance. One of these balloons takes several months to put together,” she said. “We start with a pencil sketch of what the balloon looks like, a quick doodle in a notebook, and then it ends up looking like it does right here today.”

The first parade was 100 years ago, but this is only the 98th parade. They had to skip a few to conserve helium during World War II.

They really have to think about everything.

The balloons are not the only attraction at the parade. Over 20 floats had to be “necked off” to get through the Lincoln Tunnel on Wednesday morning.

Nothing has ever gone wrong at the parade – at least not in our lifetime – and there’s a reason for that.

While meteorologist Lee Goldberg says there should just be a light breeze, police are keeping a close eye to make sure all the balloons are behaving. Some of them are 25,000 pounds!

“It’s mother nature’s big unknown. If she’s going to throw big gusts at us…sustained winds,” said NYPD Emergency Service Unit Lt. Keith Gallagher. “We’ll get two readings. We’ll call ahead for those wind speeds and we’ll make corrections before the balloon enters the potential danger zone.”

But there was no danger here at the balloon puff on West 77th Street.

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