Macy's Parade Balloon Handlers Rehearse For Big Day
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- To handle the giant balloons in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, you have to practice.
Four of the parade's mega balloons made an appearance in the Citi Field parking lot Sunday so that handlers could prepare for the big day, 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria.
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Among the new balloons this year are Red from the "Angry Birds" video game and Scrat, a character from "Ice Age." Making a repeat appearance is Ronald McDonald, who's wearing a new red outfit this year. And the Sinclair Oil dinosaur will appear in the parade for the first time since 1976.
John Piper, who heads up the Macy's Parade Studio, said the Angry Bird will be flying high clutching an egg.
"Literally jumped right out of the video game, and he's the only person who's not smiling," he said. "He's still angry, but I think he'll get over it."
Red holds about 14,000 cubic feet of helium. That's the equivalent of filling the balloon with about 15,000 basketballs.
Kathy Kramer, the "pilot" in charge of the Ronald McDonald balloon, said it takes a lot of people to keep the balloon flying.
"Ronald will probably have about 65 handlers on it," she said.
This will be the iconic parade's 89th year.