NEW YORK–Thousands of spectators braved the cold to watch 87th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 28.
The possibility of high winds put the balloons’ appearance in question leading up to the morning of the parade. If sustained winds exceeded 23 mph and wind gusts exceeded 34 mph, the balloons would be barred from the parade due to a city requirement enacted after an accident caused by a wind gust in 1997 which injured four spectators. On Thursday, after some wind gusts caused balloons to sway, the handlers were instructed to lower them closer to the ground.
Bad weather has only canceled the parade once in 1971 since the parade’s inception in 1926.
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