In this Nov. 23, 1995 file photo Woody Woodpecker leads a line of other balloons and floats into New York's Times Square during the 69th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. A Macy's Thanksgiving parade reimagined for the coronavirus pandemic will feature floats, performers and giant balloons parading along a one-block stretch of 34th Street in front of the retailer's flagship Manhattan store, Macy's officials announced Monday, Sept. 14, 2020. (AP Photo/Paul Hurschmann, File)
By Karen Matthews
A Macy's Thanksgiving parade reimagined for the coronavirus pandemic will feature floats, performers, and giant balloons along a one-block stretch of 34th Street in front of the retailer's flagship Manhattan store, Macy's officials announced Monday.
The spectacle will be broadcast as usual from 9 a.m. to noon Eastern time on NBC and will include both live and recorded elements, Macy's officials said.
"Under the unique challenges of these unparalleled times, we felt it was important to continue this cherished holiday tradition that has been the opening act to the holiday season for generations of families," Susan Tercero, executive producer of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, said in a prepared statement.
She added, "While it will certainly look different in execution, this year's Macy's Parade celebration will once again serve its historical purpose — to bring joy into the hearts of millions across the nation."
Macy's similarly remade its traditional July Fourth fireworks show this year, swapping the big one-night spectacle for a series of smaller fireworks displays.
The 2 1/2-mile Thanksgiving parade route will be axed in favor of a short stroll for the cameras, Macy's spokesperson Orlando Veras said.
The giant cartoon-character balloons will be flown without the traditional 80 to 100 handlers each and will instead be tethered to specialized vehicles that have been tested and approved by the city police and transportation departments, Veras said.
Most of the parade's performers will be locally based to cut down on travel, Veras said. High school and college marching bands that had been invited to perform will be deferred to 2021. In accordance with coronavirus restrictions, all performers will be required to maintain social distancing and wear face masks.
Mayor Bill de Blasio thanked Macy's officials for their effort to stage the parade despite COVID-19 restrictions.
"They are reinventing the event for this moment in history," de Blasio said at his daily coronavirus briefing. "And you will be able to feel the spirit and the joy of that day on television, online."
The Macy's parade has been a traditional holiday season kickoff for more than 90 years and usually attracts throngs of tourists and locals who line the parade route to gawk at inflated characters like Snoopy or Felix the cat.
This year's lineup of balloon characters and human performers will be announced later, Veras said.
Jay-Z's Roc Nation is teaming up with The Reform Alliance to host a job fair at Madison Square Garden later this week. The event is aimed at helping disadvantaged people in NYC, including single parents and the formerly incarcerated, get jobs in the city. Participating companies include Zara, Amazon, Live Nation, VICE, and a slew of others. Dania Diaz, Managing Director, Roc Nation, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss what attendees can expect.
Cases of covid-19 are climbing in the Upper Midwest, Southwest, and parts of the Northeast. The seven-day national average is sitting at roughly 82,000 new cases which is an 11 percent jump from the week before. Dr. Amesh Adalja, Infectious Disease, Specialist, Sr. Scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss this recent uptick ahead of the holiday season.
Jill is joined by Baker Machado to talk all things infrastructure: where will the money go and who’s in charge? Plus, Sesame Street has its first Asian-American muppet. And a trailer for the trailer for Spiderman. Huh?
New York has always been home to some of the world’s tallest towers, but in the last 10 years the city has seen an influx of super skinny buildings towering over Central Park, built exclusively for the ultra-rich. With demand for luxury high-rise vistas being higher than ever, building developers are using every zoning opportunity they can to push height limits – and there’s one loophole that’s helping make that happen.
Ignacio Meyer, Executive Vice President of Music and Non-Scripted Entertainment at Univision, joins Cheddar News to preview the 22nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards.
Even prior to the pandemic, the United States had already been seeing a shortage of qualified teachers staffing its schools, but COVID-19 stress added to the burdens educators faced leading to burnout and early retirements. Steve M. Matthews, superintendent of the Novi Community School District in Michigan, joined Cheddar to discuss the lack of available teachers to keep kids educated. "I think the pandemic just exacerbated some of the issues and kind of pushed the momentum forward for a teacher shortage," he said.
According to ValuePenguin survey, 45% of insured Americans are considering health insurance changes during open enrollment. Derrick Kinney, Host of the 'Good Money' podcast, joins Cheddar to break down everything you need to know about open enrollment, and how inflation is having an impact on health insurance.
Ahsaki LaFrance-Chachere, Founder of Ah-Shí Beauty, joins Cheddar to discuss what inspired her to launch this beauty brand, how the brand is staying true to her tribe's culture and traditions, and what makes it stand out in the crowded beauty space.
