Giant Balloons Soar in Thanksgiving Parade

NEW YORK – The Thanksgiving Day Parade has begun and the giant balloons are flying. There was some question that the winds would pose a safety problem with the balloons. But city officials, meeting with police and Macy’s representatives who are hosting the parade decided just before eight this morning that the winds were within safe speeds to fly the balloons.

Under current guidelines, the giant balloons are grounded when winds reach 23 miles per hour or gust stronger than 34 miles per hour.

The National Weather Service is predicting 15 to 20 mile per hour winds for this morning with gusts up to 30 mph.

The big balloons include Dora the Explorer, Scooby-Doo and Mr. Potato Head.

Parade officials have had to be careful about the weather since 1997, when the wind blew a Cat in the Hat balloon into a lamppost, severely injuring a spectator.

The parade features ten marching bands, 27 floats and performers such as LeAnn Rimes, Aaron Neville and Kristin Chenoweth.

The Macy’s parade started in 1924 and has been an annual tradition, canceled only in the World War II years of 1942 to 1944.