Macy’s parade returns with the trimmings
Crimped last year by COVID, Thanksgiving tradition is back in full swing — with safety measures, of course.
NEW YORK — Giant balloons once again wafted through miles of Manhattan, wrangled by costumed handlers. High school and college marching bands from around the country were back, and so were the crowds at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
After being crimped by the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the holiday tradition returned in full Thursday, though with precautions.
“It really made Thanksgiving feel very festive and full of life,” Sierra Guardiola, a 23-year-old interior design firm assistant, said after watching the spectacle in a turkey-shaped hat.
Thousands of marchers, hundreds of clowns, dozens of balloons and f loats — and, of course, Santa Claus — marked the latest U.S. holiday event to make a comeback as vaccines, familiarity and sheer frustration made officials and some of the public more comfortable with big gatherings amid the ongoing pandemic.
To President Biden, the parade’s full-fledged return was a sign of renewal, and he called NBC’s “Today” broadcaster Al Roker on-air to say so.
“After two years, we’re back. America is back. There’s nothing we’re unable to overcome,” Biden said over the phone from Nantucket, Mass., where he was watching the broadcast with his family.
Still, safety measures continued. Parade staffers and volunteers had to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and wear masks, though some singers and performers were allowed to shed them. There was no inoculation requirement for spectators, but Macy’s and the city encouraged them to cover their faces.
Asahi Pompey said she made a point of getting her vaccine booster shot Wednesday and wore a mask while in the crowd. “It feels really phenomenal to be here. It feels like New York is on its way to recovery,” said Pompey, 49, a lawyer.
Last Thanksgiving, with no vaccines available and the coronavirus beginning a winter surge in the nation’s biggest city, the parade was confined to one block and performances by several entertainers were pre-taped. Most performers were locally based, to cut down on travel, and the giant balloons were tethered to vehicles instead of being handled by volunteers. No spectators were allowed.
Watching the nearly century-old parade this year on the street for the first time was “incredible” for Katie Koth.
“The energy is crazy, and the crowd was amazing,” the 26-year-old teacher said.
The event came days after an SUV driver plowed through a Christmas parade in suburban Milwaukee, killing six people and injuring more than 60. Authorities said the driver, who has been charged with intentional homicide, was speeding away from police after a domestic dispute.
NewYork Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday there was no credible, specific threat to the parade, but security was extensive as usual. It involved thousands of police officers, sand-filled garbage trucks and concrete barriers, and more than 300 extra cameras.
Inside the barricades, new balloon giants joined the lineup, including the title character from the Netflix series “Ada Twist, Scientist” and Grogu, aka “Baby Yoda,” from the Apple TV+ show “The Mandalorian.” New floats came from condiment maker Heinz and NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service, among others.
Entertainers and celebrities included Carrie Underwood, Jon Batiste, Nelly, Kelly Rowland and Miss America Camille Schrier. Broadway musical casts and the Radio City Rockettes also performed.
Sloan Brown, 6, took it all in from a sidewalk and summed up the experience in a word: “Cool.”