New Yorkers had a deflating experience with the 2020 Macy’s Thanksgiving parade.
The event aimed at the television audience instead of live spectators due to coronavirus restrictions. Few people were allowed to watch the parade live, and they were not happy with the experience. “We wish we hadn’t watched it live,” they said. The number of live participants this year was reduced to 12%.
“I wish I had stayed home and had better watch it on television,” said 33-year-old Julia Korzah, who was among the few live spectators.
She lives in the Herald Square area and attended the event with her boyfriend. “I am standing behind a metal barricade at 34th Street and Eighth Avenue. All I can see from here is the top of the Empire State Building,” she added.
About 4 million people watched the parade in 2019, lining the 2.
5-mile-long route from the Upper West Side to Herald Square. Due to coronavirus restriction, this year’s event was enormously compressed. It only covered one block in front of the department store at Herald Square headquarters. Most of the performances that people saw on their TV screen were pre-shooted.
People said the balloons they saw throughout the telecast were familiar faces, including Ronald, McDonald, Snoopy, and SpongeBob. A few of the balloons were new and specially designed for this event, including Love Flies Up to The Sky, Boss Baby, Red Titan, and Macy’s Stars.
Love Flies Up to the Skies was made by Yoyoi Kasuyma, a contemporary Japanese artist.
Several entertainers performed, including Darlene, who crooned ‘Marshmallow World,’ Dolly Parton, who sang ‘Holly Jolly Christmas,’ and Patti LaBelle, who vocalized ‘It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.
’ A few Broadway performances were also lined up for telecast viewers, while live participants didn’t have much to lay eyes on.
This is my 6-year-old's first Macy's Day Parade and he is not impressed. "Mom, it's just a bunch of commercials. Whoever is making this a show of all commercials should be locked in a bathroom … for a year!" #MacysParade #VerizonLive
ADVERTISEMENT — Jennifer Churchill (@jenTCM) November 26, 2020
“We had a good memorable experience last year, but We are disappointed by this year’s parade,” wrote a live participant. “I came with my 4-year-old to see floats, but there were none. Disappointing!” wrote another.
Telecast viewers, on the other hand, had a good experience. “I am loving the grinch musical & want to be in it,” a television viewer tweeted.