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“…. Please Join The Parade.” NOT.
As rain fell this Thanksgiving morning, November 26, the pandemic-silenced marching bands were tuning up, the clowns clowning, the balloons being un-netted for their annual march down the parade route to Herald Square.
Smiling faces peering through the barricades and little ones waving from fifth floor windows were nowhere to be found, an unusual sight for the usual jam-packed route. The 94th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade remoteness was evident, occupying one city block around Macy’s Flagship on 34th Street. Balloon handlers, float riders, and Santa were all masked, waiting to proceed, joining the remote presentation.
These pictures are dedicated to the women and men who braved the COVID crisis, as the parade must go on.
Remote this year, we hope for a return next year with all the trimmings … the crowds lining the route — and the balloons, clowns, and marching bands in place — for the 95th edition in 2021!
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Jeff Day, an independent photographer based in New York City, documents city life celebrations and the renewal of historical tradition in contemporary voice in the streets. He is completing two books, New Orleans Black and White and New York Street. A lifelong sailor, Jeff has also documented the water’s edge and shore towns of New York, New England, the Gulf Coast, and Eastern Spain.
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To see more of Jeff’s work, click here.
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All copyrighted photos courtesy of Jeff Day.
