Thanksgiving Parade Balloon Inflation 2019: What You Need To Know

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is major New York City spectacle, but an even more awe-inspiring event takes place the night before the annual march down Central Park West.

In preparation for Thanksgiving, Macy's will be pumping massive quantities of helium into dozens of gigantic balloons on Wednesday, Nov. 27. The annual event takes place outside the American Museum of Natural History from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Millions of people have gathered on the Upper West Side just to watch the balloon characters come to life. After being blown up, the balloons are weighed down with sandbags and netting until parade day.

Going to see the inflation? Here's everything you need to know before you go:

Will it happen?

This year's forecast is throwing the possibility of holding the event into question. If winds exceed 23 miles per hour on parade day, Macy's isn't allowed to fly balloons. It's going to be extremely windy on Thanksgiving and officials haven't made a call on whether balloons will take to the skies.

Current regulations were established in 1997 when the Cat in the Hat blew off course and hurt four people.

Directions:

Police will set up a security checkpoint on the east side of Columbus Avenue and West 73rd Street. Once inside, spectators will walk along a route that begins on West 74th and Central Park West and ends at 81st Street and Central Park West.

When to go:

Spectators are invited between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. Macy's recommends coming between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. when the crowds are thinner and the balloons begin to take shape. The viewing area will close at 8 p.m. sharp, so plan accordingly.

Streets closed:

Police will begin shutting down streets near the inflation area Wednesday morning to prepare for the event. West 73rd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue will close at 8 a.m. Wednesday, according to the NYPD.

More streets will then close in the afternoon when the balloons begin to assume their massive forms.

The following streets will close at noon, with more closures possible if the NYPD decides it's necessary:

• Central Park West from West 73rd to 85th streets
• West 74th Street between Columbus and Central Park West
• West 75th Street between Columbus and Central Park West
• West 76th Street between Columbus and Central Park West
• West 77th Street between Columbus and Central Park West
• West 78th Street between Columbus and Central Park West
• West 80th Street between Columbus and Central Park West
• West 81st Street between Columbus and Central Park West
• West 82nd Street between Columbus and Central Park West
• West 83rd Street between Columbus and Central Park West
• West 84th Street between Columbus and Central Park West
• West 85th Street between Columbus and Central Park West
• Central Park Transverse Road at Central Park West and West 81 Street

West 81st and West 77th streets between Central Park West to Columbus Avenue and Central Park West between 59th and 86th streets will remain closed to traffic after 10 p.m.