How big is a Macy's parade balloon?

But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids

Vermont Public

Nature, Language, Kids & Family, Science

4.4 • 4.9K Ratings

🗓️ 14 November 2025

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is an American tradition. It’s been going since 1924. This year marks the 99th parade (it took three years off during World War II). It’s famous for elaborate floats and huge character balloons that bob above the streets as the parade marches forward. Millions of people watch the parade live in New York City each year, but many many more watch it on TV. And some of you have questions! How do they make such big balloons for the parade and how do they choose which characters to feature? And how do they hold onto the balloons with such tiny strings? And, more generally, how do balloons float? What’s helium got to do with it? But Why visits the Macy’s Studio workshop in New Jersey to see how the magic happens!

Download our learning guides: PDF | Google Slide

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	In the cozy seaside town of Sunshine Bay, mysteries are everywhere.
0:06.1	My name's Nora Doogood. I'm a mystery solver. Join me as I take on Sunshine Bay's toughest mysteries.
0:13.8	GZM Shows presents Do Good Detectives. Episode available on Apple Podcasts. Or for more information, go to gZMshows.com.
0:21.5	So listen closely, fellow detectives.
0:24.0	We've got a case to crack.
0:47.3	Thank you. This is But Why?
0:54.8	This is But Why, a podcast for Curious Kids from Vermont Public.
0:56.2	I'm Jane Lindholm.
1:01.4	On this show, we take questions from curious kids just like you, and we find answers.
1:03.0	Hi, I'm a million.
1:05.6	I'm eight years old, and I live in Portland, Oregon.
1:09.4	And I have a question about the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. And my question is, how do those big
1:12.2	balloons hold on just a tiny string? Do you enjoy parades? I do. I love seeing all the people
1:19.4	walking by, often in amazing costumes. The parade floats are cool, too, where trucks pull a trailer
1:25.6	that's been decorated to look like a boat or a bear
1:28.6	or a tropical paradise. Sometimes people ride in the floats. And I especially love the marching
1:35.2	bands, usually from nearby elementary and high schools, and sometimes professional musicians as
1:40.5	well. One of the biggest parades in the world is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City.
1:47.0	It happens, as the name might have given away, on Thanksgiving Day, which is always the 4th Thursday of November in the United States.
2:00.5	The New York City government says about 3.5 million people line up along the parade route
2:06.7	through the streets of the city to watch the parade in person.
2:10.8	And about 50 million people watch the parade on TV.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Vermont Public, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Vermont Public and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.