Updated 11/25/2009 11:38 PM
Macy’s Parade Balloons Take Shape
To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.
Then come back here and refresh the page.
Thousands took part in the annual Wednesday night holiday tradition of watching the balloons come to life for the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Manhattan's Upper West Side.
Children and adults alike lined up near the Museum of Natural History to see Snoopy, Spongebob Squarepants and dozens of other characters take shape a day before they travel a new route.
This year, Spiderman returns to the lineup, Mickey Mouse will appear as a sailor and the Pillsbury Doughboy will make his debut.
Balloon inflators and fans say it's become a Thanksgiving Eve tradition.
"This is it's own event and in a funny way, we're all sort of on show tonight," said Macy's Parade Executive Producer Robin Hall. "The parade has really sort of started. This event has become sort of the opening act of our parade season. And I have about three hundred thousand people here, is my guess. And it's kind of drizzly tonight, and but I've never seen the crowd this big this early."
"The rain doesn't bother me at all because this is exciting to me. This is my very first time actually seeing the balloons. And we're coming tomorrow to see the parade. And I'm like a little kid in a toy store right now. So I'm enjoying it," said one onlooker.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg stopped by the event and says the parade has become a true American tradition.
"People all over America watch a little football and they all watch the parade no matter where they live. And what the see is a city that's safe clean and where everybody's smiling," Bloomberg said.
The balloons, along with floats and bands will make their way down a new route at 9 a.m. Thursday – and for the first time in history bypass Broadway on the way to Herald Square.
As always, the parade begins at 77th Street and Central Park West. But at Columbus Circle, it shifts over to Seventh Avenue instead of following Broadway. Then at 42nd Street, it heads east to Sixth Avenue.
The changes were made necessary when Broadway was closed to traffic this year and turned into a pedestrian plaza.
The route is slightly longer this year.
The following streets will be closed to traffic during Thursday:
Broadway between 34th Street and 38th Street from 12 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Broadway between 38th Street and 59th Street from 4 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Seventh Avenue from West 34th Street to West 40th Street from 2 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Eighth Avenue between 34th Street and 40th Street from 4 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
33rd Street between 7th Avenue and 10th Avenue from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
34th Street between Sixth Avenue and Eighth Avenue from 10 p.m. Wednesday to 3 p.m.
35th Street between Fifth Avenue and Eighth Avenue from 2 a.m. to 4 p.m.
36th Street between Sixth Avenue and Eighth Avenue from 2 a.m. to 2 p.m.
37th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m.
38th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m.
39th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
40th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
59th Street eastbound between Seventh Avenue and Central Park West from 1 a.m. to 2 p.m.
59th Street westbound between Sixth Avenue and Central Park West from 1 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Central Park 65th Street/66th Street Transverse Roads from 8 a.m. until parade’s conclusion.
Additionally, trucks and other large vehicles will not be allowed to access:
Sixth Avenue between 43rd and 59th Street.
Eighth Avenue between 44th and 58th Street.
Broadway between 49th and 57th Street.
49th, 50th, and 57th Street between Sixth and Eighth Avenue.