For many people in the US, the annual Macy's Thanksgiving parade is as much a part of the holiday as a turkey dinner.
Weather concerns this year over the balloon-filled procession being cancelled due to high winds were a concern until Thanksgiving morning this year.
In the end, the parade — which is in its 93rd year — went ahead with all 16 character balloons taking part. For safety reasons, the inflatables floated a little closer to the ground than usual during the annual parade through New York City's Sixth Avenue.
Among this year's inflatables were a Nasa-inspired Snoopy, a 23 metre-long Power Ranger, SpongeBob SquarePants, Chase from PawPatrol, Olaf from Frozen, Manga icon Goku and The Elf on the Shelf.
The first female-commissioned Blue Sky Gallery balloon also took to the sky. Designed by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, her Love flies up to the sky is the latest design for the contemporary art initiative that invites artists to create balloons that are also works of art.
Safety rules were put in place at the parade after a Cat in the Hat balloon injured spectators during high winds in the parade of 1997.
Wind gusts just picked up significantly at the parade start. Balloon teams having some challenges round the corner to get onto the route of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Ronald McDonald’s foot has been punctured. @WestwoodOneNews @WestwoodOne pic.twitter.com/9Zh6Bo1Goi
— Steve Kastenbaum (@SKastenbaum) November 28, 2019
This year's casualty was Ronald McDonald. The red-haired clown synonymous with American fast-food was injured halfway down the route as he crashed into a tree. His left leg ripped and deflated and the burger-fanatic was left limp for the rest of the procession.
The balloons were accompanied by dancers, carollers and marching bands. Thousands of people turned out in Manhattan to watch the action.
Chris Young, Tenile Townes, Natasha Bedingfield and the Black Eyed Peas performed for the crowds and K-Pop starsNCT 127 made history as the first K-Pop group to perform at a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
