Parade Features
Balloons

Floats
Marching Bands

Balloon Facts and Science

Balloon Facts

  • These days roughly 15 balloons are flown each year, though in the first years there were as few as three.
  • In order to have a balloon in the parade, companies must pay Macy’s $190,000 the first year to cover the cost of construction. After that the yearly price of admission is about $90,000. In total, companies are paying Macy’s about $5 million a year. [1](source 8)
  • The night before Thanksgiving is termed "Inflation Day" by Macy's. At this time, many New Yorkers crowd around to watch the giant balloons being inflated for the morning's parade.

  • Macy's is the world's second largest consumer of helium. The US government is the first.[2]

 
  • Balloon handlers are required to guide the balloons with long ropes. These handlers are dressed in outfits to match the colors of the balloon they are flying.
  • Balloons can become unruly and dangerous when winds get high. If winds pick up, handlers must rein the balloon in and fly it close to the ground. Some times, conditions have become so bad that balloons are removed from the procession.

  • Several injuries have occurred due to unwieldy balloons. Twice now (in 1997 and 2005) balloons have struck lamp-posts, injuring spectators when the arm of the lamp has fallen on them.
  • Balloons are 3-4 stories tall and fly 25-60 feet off the ground. Thus they can tower as high as 10 stories above the crowd.

  • Sometimes, popular balloons are reused years in a row. When a balloon becomes damaged it is repaired at the studio. Some balloons, such as Snoopy, Garfield, Big Bird, and Cloe the Clown have been remade multiple times in different designs.

Balloon Science

  • All balloons are constructed in an old Tootsie-roll factory that now functions as a parade studio.[3]

  • Each giant balloon takes four to six months to complete, and requires extensive technical ingenuity.[4]

  • Brainstorming begins as early as January. First a drawing is made, followed by a clay model and then a plastic mold. Small patches of fabric are placed on the model’s surface and used to create bigger pieces for the balloon.[5]

 
  • Each balloon takes 320 to 450 pounds of nylon.[6]

  • The fabric making up the balloons must be totally sealed, with zero porosity. The fabric used is the same kind used to hold air in the inner tubes of tires. [7]

  • Each balloon is filled with 10,000 to 14,000 cubic feet of helium. The largest balloon ever, Shamu the baby whale, used over 18,000 cubic feet.[8]

  • They consist of multiple chambers, which aid in balance and allow the balloon to continue flying even if one chamber leaks. It is also easier for artists to construct the balloons piece-meal. The chambers carry different pressures to ensure that the various parts of the balloon take on the shape they are supposed to.[9]

  • There are automatic pressure valves in each balloon to let off gas in case the heat from the sun should expand the helium inside.[10]
  • To inflate them, four trailer trucks filled with pressurized helium are required. Hoses are used to fill the balloons with the gas.[11]
  • During inflation, balloons are held in place with enormous nets and 50 tons of sandbags. The nets alone cover some 10,000 square feet, and two whole city blocks are closed off for the process.[12]
  • On average, each balloon requires 50 handling lines and 60 or 70 handlers to be flown. There are also a pilot, two copilots, a captain, and two co-captains who go through extensive training.[13]



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[Images]
Curious George image courtesy of:<http://www.pdnedu.com/pdnedu/portfolio/gallery.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000748760&no=3>
Inflation image courtesy of: <http://www.nyctourist.com/macys_balnite1.htm> Copyright © 2005, NYC tourist.com. All Rights Reserved.
Spongebob image courtesy of:<http://www.strangecosmos.com/content/item/104931.html>© 2005 StrangeCosmos.com
Barney image courtesy of: Jonathan Adams Photography<http://www.jdadams.net/webpages/ovtnyc1.htm>
75th Macy's Parade Snoopy image courtesy of:<http://www.scottdecker.com/new_york_city/pictures_november_22_2001.htm>
Macy's Snoopy image courtesy of: <http://www.michyland.com/Turkey/Macy.htm>
Jerry Pig image courtesy of: <http://www.life.com/Life/lifebooks/macys/gallery/7.html> Copyright © 2005 LIFE Inc. All rights reserved.
M&M image courtesy of:<http://pith.org/photo/view/20041124-macysballoons> Copyright© jcn
Garfield image courtesy of: <http://www.nyctourist.com/macys_balnite1.htm> Copyright © 2005, NYC tourist.com. All Rights Reserved.
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[Citations]
[1] Marla Matzer, "The Price of Hot Air," U.S. News and World Report: InfoTrac Buisiness Index ASAP, December 1997, <http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/698/579/99340445w3/purl=rc1_BIM_0_A20> (6 December 2005).
[2]"Facts about the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade," NYC & Company, n.d., <http://www.nycvisit.com/content/index.cfm?pagePkey=800> (6 December 05).
[3] "Caution: parade under construction. (behind the scenes of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade)," Weekly Reader, Senior Edition, InfoTrac OneFile, November 2003, <http:find.galegroup.com/itx/retrieve.do?subjectParam=Locale%2528ed%252CUS%252C> (6 December 2005).
[4] "Macy's Thanksgiving parade--it's science," United Press International: InfoTrac Business Index ASAP, November 2003, <http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/698/579/99340445w3/purl=rc1_BIM_0_A11> (6 December 2005).
[5] Douglas Martin, "A Day to Give Thanks for Balloons: A 'Balloonatic' Makes Air Sculptures for Macy's Parade," New York Times (1857-Current file), 24 November 1994, ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851-2002), B1.
[6]Douglas Martin, "A Day to Give Thanks for Balloons: A 'Balloonatic' Makes Air Sculptures for Macy's Parade," New York Times (1857-Current file), 24 November 1994, ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851-2002), B1.
[7]"Macy's Thanksgiving parade--it's science," United Press International: InfoTrac Business Index ASAP, November 2003, <http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/698/579/99340445w3/purl=rc1_BIM_0_A11> (6 December 2005).
[8]"Macy's Thanksgiving parade--it's science," United Press International: InfoTrac Business Index ASAP, November 2003, <http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/698/579/99340445w3/purl=rc1_BIM_0_A11> (6 December 2005).
[9]"Macy's Thanksgiving parade--it's science," United Press International: InfoTrac Business Index ASAP, November 2003, <http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/698/579/99340445w3/purl=rc1_BIM_0_A11> (6 December 2005).
[10]"Macy's Thanksgiving parade--it's science," United Press International: InfoTrac Business Index ASAP, November 2003, <http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/698/579/99340445w3/purl=rc1_BIM_0_A11> (6 December 2005).
[11]"Macy's Thanksgiving parade--it's science," United Press International: InfoTrac Business Index ASAP, November 2003, <http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/698/579/99340445w3/purl=rc1_BIM_0_A11> (6 December 2005).
[12]"Macy's Thanksgiving parade--it's science," United Press International: InfoTrac Business Index ASAP, November 2003, <http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/698/579/99340445w3/purl=rc1_BIM_0_A11> (6 December 2005).
[13]"Macy's Thanksgiving parade--it's science," United Press International: InfoTrac Business Index ASAP, November 2003, <http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/698/579/99340445w3/purl=rc1_BIM_0_A11> (6 December 2005).

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