From Prairie to Parade: The Hidden Logistics Behind Macy’s Floating Thanksgiving Balloons

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade is considered one of America’s most beloved holiday traditions, with millions of viewers and spectators hoping to catch a glimpse of the enormous balloons that come to life.

The helium that allows the lineup of 34 balloons to take flight plays a major role in ensuring the celebration goes smoothly.

For more than 30 years, the Messer plant in the small town of Otis, Kansas, has been the main supplier of helium for the New York parade, with a strenuous process that makes the end result spectacular.

Following a specific refining process, the company liquefies the crude helium before loading it onto trucks and shipping it cross-country, about a week prior to the event, to a trans-fill facility in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

“There’s a lot of pride with everybody from Messer who is involved with helping the parade happen,” Richard Dinwiddie, manager of helium operations at the Bethlehem plant, told The Kansas City Star.

“Smiles seem to get a little bit bigger Thanksgiving week, especially for those who are going into New York, because we know that we are part of something special and we want our demeanor, facial expressions, everything, to match the joy that Macy’s Studios is trying to bring the country.”

At that facility, the liquid helium is converted to gas and compressed into four high-pressure tube trailers, which are then transported to the Big Apple on Nov. 26 for the Macy’s Balloon Inflation Celebration.

Messer employees and Macy’s parade officials gather for the inflation of the giant balloons, novelty balloons, and “balloonicles,” in an event held every Thanksgiving Eve since 1994, near the Upper West Side in Manhattan. 

Using a gas filling apparatus designed by Messer specifically for the parade, the balloons are inflated, and spectators are welcome to watch the process. The balloons are topped off with some extra helium the morning of the parade and are ready to take flight.

According to KC Engineering and Land Surveying, the average balloon requires 12,000 cubic feet of helium and takes about 90 minutes to inflate. Macy’s was the second-largest consumer of helium in the world as of 2015 (after the U.S. government), according to a Fortune report.

The 2.5-mile parade route begins on West 77th Street and Central Park West and makes its way toward 34th Street, ending in front of Macy’s Herald Square flagship store.

This year, the lineup includes 28 floats and performers, 11 marching bands, 33 clown crews, nine performance groups, four balloonicles, and 14 specialty units.

Making their balloon debut this year are Buzz Lightyear, Derpy Tiger, Pac-Man, Nintendo Mario, and Shrek’s Onion Carriage.

Macy’s first Thanksgiving Day Parade, held 100 years ago in 1924, is the second-oldest parade in the country. It has been held every year since, except during World War II.

The parade will air live on NBC and stream on Peacock starting at 8:30 a.m. ET, with an encore presentation at 2 p.m.