By LOIS WEISS
The Upper West Side of Manhattan was rocking with street life and visitors for the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Parade Balloon Inflation.
Yes, it's a thing that's a bucket list experience for New Yorkers who spend their Wednesday afternoon and evening before Thanksgiving watching the giant balloons go from flat to floating.
In the past, the inflation all happened at night but now, the Macy's elves start at 1 pm and visitors are corralled into a path that starts at West 72nd Street and meanders from block to block where the colorful balloons are laid out to get their fill of helium. The balloons are restrained under big nets to ensure Spiderman doesn't float away and of course, everyone wants to see them blown up a bunch and not just stretched out on the ground.
Spiderman entrapped in webbing
A Paw Patrol pup and part of Spiderman
This past Wednesday was no exception as thousands of visitors flocked to the streets around the Museum of Natural History between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West.
Mayor Eric Adams showed up along with newly appointed NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch along with a gaggle of deputy mayors and police chiefs to provide a rundown of safety issues.
The Mayor was quick to say no grinches would be tolerated. "I really want to take the moment to tell those grinches that believe they're going to disrupt the parade, it's not going to happen," he declared. "Just as we responded last year, we're going to be on top of those who attempt to interrupt the parade in any way possible."
Last year, 40 people were arrested trying to stop the parade.
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"We acknowledge the city will respect peaceful protests," the Mayor added. "We're not going to accept any violence or disruption in this parade. So there'll be no tolerance for interfering at all."
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The Police Commissioner advised, "there are no credible or specific threats to the parade at this time."
The Mayor is also happy that Thanksgiving brings lots of green to the Big Apple. "The children, they love to see the sky-high balloons, but I love to see the sky-high purchasings that we see received in the city," he said. "This brings so much economic prosperity to our city, and it means so much to us. It's a great boost as we start off the holiday season."
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