MOONACHIE, N.J. (WPIX) — A holiday tradition that welcomes the season for many across the globe is ready for the big show in New York City.
Artists have designed some new floats and balloons for the 2022 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 24.
“They start out as a sketch, then are printed and our sculptors use this as a guide as they sculpt the elements on the floats themselves,” said executive producer Will Coss.
The Macy’s Studio in Moonachie, New Jersey, operates all year. Carpenters, engineers, electricians, painters, animators and metal fabricators are among the designers to work at the production facility.
Five new floats will debut this year. Look for “Baby Shark” by Pinkfong and Nickelodeon, “Geoffrey’s Dazzling Dance Party” by Toys “R” Us, “People of First Light” by Macy’s, “Supersized Slumber” by Netflix and “The Wondership” by Wonder.
“It’s cool to help make someone’s day, millions of people’s days. It is pretty satisfying for sure,” said Eric Hudspeth, the parade studio’s art director.
All the floats must fit through the Lincoln Tunnel as they make the trip from New Jersey to Midtown Manhattan. They are designed to fold up and be reassembled on the route.
New balloons include “Bluey” by BBC Studios, “Diary of A Wimpy Kid” by Abrams Books, “DINO and Baby DINO” by Sinclair Oil and “Stuart the Minion” from Illumination.
The parade begins at 9 a.m. Thursday morning and ends along 34th Street in Manhattan. Some of the balloons will be on view Wednesday evening as they are inflated in the streets along Central Park West.
