Thanksgiving, New York style
Source: Agencies |
November 26, 2010, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
A HIGH-kicking Kung Fu Panda joined the giant balloon lineup as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade unfolded yesterday in New York, drawing tens of thousands of spectators to the annual extravaganza on a chilly, overcast morning.
As millions more watched the live broadcast on television, entertainers included Kanye West, Gladys Knight and Colombian rocker Juanes. The Broadway casts of "American Idiot" and "Elf" were scheduled to perform, along with marching bands from across the United States.
Another new balloon character was Virginia O'Hanlon, an eight-year-old girl whose letter to a newspaper editor elicited the response, "Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus."
Returning balloons included Smurf, Pillsbury Doughboy and Spider-Man - the last with a new fan in New York's mayor, Michael Bloomberg. He said in a CBS interview that he had traditionally favored Snoopy, but after the famous Marvel Entertainment character was involved in a recent event promoting city services for job-seekers, "Spidey is my new favorite," said Bloomberg.
Other celebrities expected at the parade include India Arie, Keri Hilson, Arlo Guthrie and Miranda Cosgrove.
The Macy's parade started in 1924 when employees from the department store marched in costume from Harlem to Macy's flagship store on 34th Street. The parade was suspended from 1942 to 1944 because rubber and helium were needed for World War II, making yesterday's parade the 84th.
The parade followed the route it inaugurated last year, starting on Central Park West and proceeding down Seventh and Sixth avenues to 34th Street. The route had to be changed when vehicles were banned from parts of?Broadway.
Workers had removed street lights and traffic lights to make way for the massive balloons and were standing by to replace the equipment.
"As soon as Santa Claus drives by, the poles go back up," said Tom Carola, a worker with an electrical-contracting company hired by the city.
President Barack Obama used the celebration to call for national unity during difficult economic times. "This is not the hardest Thanksgiving, America has ever faced. But as long as many members of our American family are hurting, we've got to look out for one another," he said in his weekly radio and Internet address, released for yesterday's Thanksgiving holiday.
As millions more watched the live broadcast on television, entertainers included Kanye West, Gladys Knight and Colombian rocker Juanes. The Broadway casts of "American Idiot" and "Elf" were scheduled to perform, along with marching bands from across the United States.
Another new balloon character was Virginia O'Hanlon, an eight-year-old girl whose letter to a newspaper editor elicited the response, "Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus."
Returning balloons included Smurf, Pillsbury Doughboy and Spider-Man - the last with a new fan in New York's mayor, Michael Bloomberg. He said in a CBS interview that he had traditionally favored Snoopy, but after the famous Marvel Entertainment character was involved in a recent event promoting city services for job-seekers, "Spidey is my new favorite," said Bloomberg.
Other celebrities expected at the parade include India Arie, Keri Hilson, Arlo Guthrie and Miranda Cosgrove.
The Macy's parade started in 1924 when employees from the department store marched in costume from Harlem to Macy's flagship store on 34th Street. The parade was suspended from 1942 to 1944 because rubber and helium were needed for World War II, making yesterday's parade the 84th.
The parade followed the route it inaugurated last year, starting on Central Park West and proceeding down Seventh and Sixth avenues to 34th Street. The route had to be changed when vehicles were banned from parts of?Broadway.
Workers had removed street lights and traffic lights to make way for the massive balloons and were standing by to replace the equipment.
"As soon as Santa Claus drives by, the poles go back up," said Tom Carola, a worker with an electrical-contracting company hired by the city.
President Barack Obama used the celebration to call for national unity during difficult economic times. "This is not the hardest Thanksgiving, America has ever faced. But as long as many members of our American family are hurting, we've got to look out for one another," he said in his weekly radio and Internet address, released for yesterday's Thanksgiving holiday.
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