A Photographer's 25-Year Love Affair with the Macy's Parade Balloons
For over 25 years, Elizabeth Kahane has had a front-row seat to one of New York’s most beloved traditions—the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. From her third-floor apartment on Central Park West, she’s been capturing the magic of this iconic event, snapping photographs of giant balloons that drift serenely down the streets of Manhattan on Thanksgiving morning. What started as a simple wish to have a view of the parade has turned into a passion project that has documented the evolution of this American spectacle through her lens.
Kahane’s love for the Macy's Parade dates back to 1998, when she and her husband were looking for a place to call home. After getting engaged, she had one simple request: a window that would give her a perfect view of the parade. This led them to a cozy apartment that overlooks the parade route, offering an unobstructed view of the balloon-filled skies on Thanksgiving Day. Since then, Kahane has become a fixture at the parade, rarely missing a year, except for a couple of rare instances over more than two decades.
Her new book, Come Join the Parade , features 160 of her favorite photographs from these years, capturing everything from marching bands to cheerleaders and, of course, the giant balloons that have become the stars of the show. Whether it’s SpongeBob SquarePants, the Grinch, or Snoopy as an astronaut, Kahane’s images offer a behind-the-scenes look at these larger-than-life characters as they float past her window. The balloons often appear at eye level, thanks to her daring photographic technique, which she jokingly calls “one foot in, one foot out.”
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Every Thanksgiving morning is a special occasion in the Kahane household. Before the festivities begin, she makes sure to clean her windows for the perfect shot, orders bagels and lox from her favorite deli, and invites friends and family to share in the fun. But while everyone else enjoys the parade from a safe distance, Kahane hides away in the bedroom, peering out the window to snap her photos—always careful not to set a bad example for her son, who is now 23.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is not just a local tradition; it’s become a fixture on national television, drawing millions of viewers from around the country. And while it’s been around for nearly a century, each year brings something new. As the parade continues to evolve, so does Kahane’s collection of images, documenting a who’s who of pop culture, from classic characters like Kermit the Frog to newer additions like Bluey the dog from the hit Australian children's series.
This year’s parade marks a special occasion: the 100th anniversary of the event, though Macy’s will celebrate the 98th due to interruptions during World War II. Kahane is excited about the new characters making an appearance, including Gabby from Gabby’s Dollhouse and Marshall from Paw Patrol . And, true to form, she’ll be perched at her window, camera in hand, ready to capture the magic once again.
Kahane’s photographs capture more than just a parade; they document a moment in time. As she reflects on her decades-long tradition, she sees her work as a way to preserve the fleeting joy and wonder of Thanksgiving mornings in New York, an experience that will never quite be the same again. As always, she’ll be there, hanging out her window, ready to share this extraordinary sight with the world.
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