Giant balloons in the big city - what could go wrong?

A few weeks before the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade brings millions of people together around the world, Macy’s + NYC DOT first unite to ensure smooth sailing of the newly added giant balloons in the safety of Met Life Stadium. The DOT engineers gather detailed calculations on how high each of the balloons can safely fly at various wind speeds, and over the course of several hours, those calculations are put to the test.

With a pilot at the front of the handlers holding an anemometer for wind speeds in real time, teams of Balloon handlers make laps around the parking lot while the engineers secure their flight paths. Despite some mishaps happening along the way, like a deflated hand on King Fu Panda’s Po, or Snoopy having a dangling line, these issues are fixed before parade day. What a TREAT it was to cover this with reporter Winnie Hu, ALL thanks to Eve Edelheit and Andrew Hinderaker!!!! (A1 on Thanksgiving 2023!!!)

The New York Times - What It Takes for Snoopy and Friend’s to Soar in the Macy’s Parade