Coming to NYC for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is on a lot of people's bucket list. I learned that as I talked to people at 5:00 am lining up on Central Park West between 77th and 65th street. I had come down early to secure a spot along the parade route and I was hardly alone. I met people from nearby areas on Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut and from far off states like Texas, South Dakota, and Tennessee.
Mostly, one family member comes down to the parade route early and holds a spot for the late sleepers. The most committed parade goer I met this year was holding a spot for 10 children under 7 and had brought chairs, an inflatable mattress and ropes to secure the perimeter. It was warm this year so he didn’t bring his space heater but he has it ready for next year.
As I talked to my fellow spot holders on Thanksgiving morning, I was reminded of something for which I am thankful: the kindness of strangers. People were getting coffee for each other, sharing recipes, snacks and stories. Strangers that morning became friends and that can happen everyday. We are all a community and the trick to finding turning strangers into friends is learning how we are connected. On Thanksgiving morning, we were all connected by the love of a good parade.
Did you make it to the parade this year? Have you gone in the past? Please share your favorite parade spot, tips to getting a good view and photos.