These giant balloons float through the sky every Thanksgiving. How do they stay up?
Imagine you’re walking down the street. Suddenly, you see something huge floating through the air. It’s bright yellow and has pointy ears. It’s taller than a 3-story building. It’s Pikachu!
Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images (Pikachu); Zoran Milich/Getty Images (Snoopy); Eduardo Munoz Avarez/AP Images (Grogu)
Carrying Characters
It can take up to 90 people to steer one balloon through the parade!
Millions of People
Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Macy’s, Inc.
Pikachu is one of the giant balloons in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade is hosted every year in New York City by a store called Macy’s. The first parade was held in 1924. It’s been a Thanksgiving tradition ever since.
Millions of people gather every year to watch the parade. They cheer as singers perform. They dance to the beat of marching bands. And they look for their favorite balloons.
Some balloons—like Snoopy—appear in almost every parade. New ones are also added each year. Recent additions include Baby Yoda and Ada Twist!
Lighter Than Air
How do the balloons float in the sky? They’re filled with helium! Helium is like air but lighter. When a lightweight, empty object is filled with helium, it floats.
You’ve probably seen birthday balloons filled with helium. Parade balloons are similar—but they use a lot more helium! And like birthday balloons, parade balloons can float away. That’s why each balloon has a group of people to steer it through the parade.
Don’t worry if you missed the parade last year. You can watch it on TV this Thanksgiving. What new balloon are you hoping to see soar through the sky?
Fact Finder
Can't Miss Teaching Extras
To learn about another helium-filled flying object, read “Giant of the Skies,” a story that takes readers on an adventure through the clouds.
In the mood for more New York City-related fun? Introduce your class to Rocky, a tiny owl that accidentally made it to the big city in “Rocky’s Big Adventure.”
See the spectacular balloons in the Thanksgiving Day Parade come to life in this video. You’ll also get an in-depth understanding of the science behind these huge balloons.
