New Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons go for a spin at annual Balloonfest
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Preparations began Saturday for the 97th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
A test flight was held for the new balloons joining the parade in the parking lot at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford.
There are seven new balloons in this year's lineup, including Beagle Scout Snoopy, Monkey D. Luffy from "One Piece," Po from "Kung Fu Panda" and a new version of the Pillsbury Doughboy.
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"We've got 16 giant balloons. We've 33 midsize heritage balloons. We have 26 floats. We have a variety of performances, 12 marching bands. It's going to be a fantastic parade this year," said Will Coss, executive producer of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
In addition to the new balloons being put to the test, handlers also got a chance to see what it's like to maneuver the big balloons ahead of Thanksgiving.