Macy's May Really Have to Pika-Choose a New Parade Route

Photograph of Pikachu at Columbus Circle last year—which way will he go this November?!?

There appears to be serious consideration being given to rerouting the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade so that the glowing neon spectrum of Times Square would be replaced by the yawning canyon of white-collar drudgery that defines Sixth Avenue. The Department of Transportation confirmed yesterday's reports that the parade may call off its right turn off Columbus Circle onto Broadway and continue over to the Avenue of Americas.

The latest obstacle on Broadway is the pedestrian-only zone around Times Square being instituted by Mayor Bloomberg this May. Parade organizers had already raised the possibility of rerouting after a potentially dangerous balloon accident occurred in 2005 and new Safety Regulations were enacted. At the spot of the 2005 incident, clearance there was only 39 feet wide, when Macy’s own guidelines called for 62 feet of space. Sixth Avenue stays over 60 feet wide throughout the proposed course.

The Times spoke to business owners around Times Square and got a surprisingly mixed reaction about losing the parade. Some naturally mourned the loss of the exposure, one owner saying, "They already have most of the parades on Fifth and Sixth, so we should at least get to keep this one.” But others seemed indifferent since they remain closed on Thanksgiving. One manager said, “Every time there’s a parade, we hope to have more business, but it always turns out to be slow. Everyone just comes in here to use the bathroom.”

Parade organizers seemed open to whatever the city decides, but sad to see the course change for the first time in its 84-year history. Macys spokeswoman Elina Kazan said, “Broadway is part of the parade’s history. It would certainly be a bittersweet moment for us if we were to leave."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Billy Parker in News on March 30, 2009 3:32 PM

Comments [rss]

NannyState

The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade wound its way along old Lenape footpaths to where wild game birds legendarily hung out. The Year was 1106 and yes, few spectators bothered to part with their wampum, they just took a leak at a nearby tree.

Snoopy

I heard they served toasted pilgrims with a delicate Irish red sauce. That being the Irish that arrived here too soon and before Erik the Red. Hence the sauce name.

IvoryJive

You're right. Let's not try anything.

ed_Extinct

900 years of parade history lost to a "testing phase" pedestrian pathway in Times Square? That seems fair.

Spirit of 76

The parade's been around 900 years? The story already says this was only the straw that may break the camel's back. There were already the clearance issues.

Snoopy

"The parade's been around 900 years?" Man you are one stickler for details. Isn't 873 years close enough?

Snoopy

There you go again "mister anal."

So the parade was started in 1924, 1925 or 1926? It could be close to 588 in Pluto years. The dog not the planet.

thefacts

Actually you were right the first time. Broadway was originally an Indian trail, so 900 years is about right.

And please don't refer to what's-his-name as mr. anal. Anuses serve a useful function in life.

Spirit of 76

You two are made for each other with your two-person mutual admiration society. Good thing, because each of you is the closest thing the other will ever have to a friend. Yes, indeed, you can certainly tell a lot about a person by the company he keeps. I like how even whitecastlerock, one of the few people to laugh at one of Snoopy's jokes, called thefacts "dumbass."

Snoopy

I had nothing to do with the indian posting. That geniusial observation was from NannyState. Although I believe it might have been Algonquin rather than Lenape. But then again it might have been another tribe because the upper west side wasn't really that nice an area back in those days. No Starbucks or Duane Reades to speak of.

Why doesn't Macy's start the parade from down in the Village and work its way up Broadway?

fugothamist

makes sense, albeit a lame route

Gothampc

So will the route be:

start on CPW

turn left at CPS

turn right at 6th Avenue?

That's too many turns for Dr. Joyce Brothers' yellow goose float.