If you’ve ever watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and wondered how those giant balloons come to life, here’s your chance to find out–the annual Macy’s Balloon Inflation Celebration in New York City lets you get up close as massive, cartoon-shaped balloons are filled with helium and slowly begin to take over the streets.
It’s a behind-the-scenes spectacle packed with color, excitement, and holiday magic, and it all goes down the day before the big parade!
A Look Back at the History of Macy’s Iconic Balloon Inflation
A true New York City holiday tradition, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has been filling the skies since November 27, 1924. But before those massive balloons float down the streets of Manhattan, they have to come to life–and that behind the scenes magic has its own fascinating history.
In the Parade’s early years, balloons were inflated in the early hours of Thanksgiving morning in Harlem, long before crowds ever saw them. By the 1930s, smaller balloons were prepped the night before and trucked to the starting line, while the larger ones were still filled just hours before showtime.
It wasn’t until 1945, when the Parade route was shortened, that the inflation moved to its now-famous home on the Upper West Side.
For decades, only a handful of locals would gather to catch a glimpse of the spectacle the night before Thanksgiving. That changed in 1994, when Jean McFaddin, the Parade’s longtime director, decided to officially open the Balloon Inflation to the public–turning it into one of the city’s most beloved holiday events.
Macy’s Iconic Balloon Inflation in Modern Times
Today, visitors can stroll outside Manhattan’s Museum of Natural History–along 77th and 81st Streets between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue–the night before the parade to watch as beloved characters slowly come to life before the big day.
There, you can watch up-close as beloved classics and exciting newbies fill with helium and grow exponentially in size.
As the balloons are inflated they snake around the museum, being held down by nets and sandbags to ensure they don’t fly away before the big day.
The least crowded time to visit is between 1 pm and 3 pm, though not as many balloons will be blown up. To see more balloons in all their helium-filled glory you’re better off stopping by later in the evening, though prepare to be bumping elbows–tens of thousands of people crowd the streets for this exciting spectacle!
🎈 Macy’s Balloon Inflation Celebration
- 📍 Location: American Museum of Natural History (between 77th & 81st Streets and Central Park West & Columbus Ave–enter at West 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue)
- 🗓️ Date: Wednesday, November 26, 2025
- ⏰ Time: 1-6 pm
- 🎟️ Cost: Free and open to the public
Tips for attending
- Get there early: fewer crowds and the opportunity to see the balloons in different stages of inflation
- Use public transit: the event brings heavy traffic and street closures
- Leave prohibited items at home: there will be security screening, so leave prohibited items like large bags (bigger than 12x6x12), coolers, drones, alcoholic beverages, and lawn chairs at home
- Strollers: strollers can be difficult to maneuver through the crowds (though they’re not prohibited)