Tomorrow's Thanksgiving Day Parade: Windy, With A Bit Of Grover

Actually, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade officials are a little more worried about the weather. Ever since an incident in 1997 where a balloon (Gothamist believes it was the Cat in the Hat) knocked over a lamppost and hit parade watchers, leaving one woman in a coma for a month, parade officials have consulted with meteorologists about parade day weather, and tomorrow is expected extremely windy. In fact, balloons are to remain grounded if gusts go over 34 MPH or sustained winds are above 23 MPH. The NY Times speaks with parade organizer Robin B. Hall, who "would prefer to focus on Chicken Little, SpongeBob SquarePants and M&M Chocolate Candies, the newest additions." The Times article also has a lot of great factoids about the balloons and parade (500 clowns!).

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade starts tomorrow morning, but the balloon blow up is today, from 3-10PM, at West 77th and 81st Streets between Columbus and Central Park West (near the American Museum of Natural History); Gothamist went last year. And here's information from the City about where to watch the parade (we're fond of being inside, picking at the stuffing).