It felt like there were more people than ever before lining the streets from Central Park West down to Herald Square.
The parade stepped off at 9 a.m. on the Upper West Side, and what followed were all the sights and sounds this one-of-a-kind parade has delivered for decades.
The parade featured 15 giant character balloons, 28 floats, 36 inflatables, 9 performance groups and a host of celebrities, including Jon Batiste, Kristin Chenoweth, Foreigner, Kelly Rowland, Rob Thomas, Carrie Underwood and Santa Claus.
Some of those balloons were four stories high and as wide as a New York City taxicab.
Also taking part were ten marching bands from all across the country and 800 very enthusiastic clowns.
They marched the 2.5 mile parade route with joy – and it was very much what New Yorkers needed after last year’s made-only-for-television parade, which was shortened to one block due to the pandemic.
And out there in the streets today, was one of Eyewitness News’ own: Producer Andy Savas and his wife, Aransas, who had close ties to Snoopy as balloon handlers.
It was Andy’s first time in the parade and Aransas’ second. Was it everything Andy thought it would be?
“Everything – everything, that and much more!” he said. “My goodness, it’s like a bag of potato chips on top of Thanksgiving! It’s incredible!”
Others along the parade route were excited as well.
“Everyone’s masked, I’m vaccinated, we feel safe,” said one woman told us. “And it’s great starting to get things back. It’s great to see the city coming back again.”
The balloons were blown up Wednesday ahead of their Thanksgiving Day flights, with the annual inflation event from noon until 6 p.m. — for vaccinated guests only.
36 novelty and heritage inflatables joined this year’s edition.
The new class of balloons included Ada Twist, Scientist by Netflix; a Funko Pop! inspired Grogu (a.k.a. Baby Yoda) from the Star Wars series “The Mandalorian;” Ronald McDonald by McDonald’s USA; and Pikachu & Eevee by The Pokémon International Company.
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For access, guests had to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination (Original CDC card, Mobile app including the NYC COVID Safe App, NY State Excelsior Pass, CLEAR Health Pass, or photo of their vaccination card), plus matching photo ID.
Negative COVID tests were not be accepted in lieu of vaccinated status.
Unvaccinated children under the age of 12 had to be accompanied by a vaccinated adult.
Masks were required throughout.
Featured Balloons on 77th Street
– Tiptoe (NEW)
– Ada Twist, Scientist (NEW)
– Gravy Pirates (NEW)
– Red Titan
– Chase from PAW Patrol
– Diary of A Wimpy Kid
– The Boss Baby
– Toni the Bandleader Bear (NEW)
– Sinclair’s Baby DINOs Balloonicles
– Sinclair’s DINO
– Smokey Bear
– Goku
Featured Balloons on 81st Street
– Go Bowling Ballonicles
– Funko Pop! inspired Grogu (aka Baby Yoda) (NEW)
– Astronaut Snoopy
– Ronald McDonald
– SpongeBob SquarePants & Gary
– Sonic the Hedgehog
– Papa Smurf from The Smurfs
– Pillsbury Doughboy
– Pikachu & Eevee (NEW
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Source: This post first appeared on abc7NY