1. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Scoop: Also known as America’s Parade, this famous holiday tradition that marches down Broadway between 9 AM and noon was started in 1926 and is now broadcast live on NBC. Last year the festivities included 800 cheerleaders, 500 clowns, 23 floats, 15 giant helium balloons, 10 marching bands, more than 10,000 Macy’s employees and volunteers, and around 2.5 million spectators. At the 78th parade in 2004 Macy’s unveiled new balloon technology, the balloonicle—a cold air, inflatable balloon attached to small utility vehicle.
Behind the Scenes: The parade’s balloons and floats are made in the parade studio in Hoboken, New Jersey, the clowns come from the company’s own clown camp, more than a dozen celebrities make special appearances, and high schools nationwide provide the bands. Robin Hall, Macy’s group vice president for special events, is the executive producer of the parade, and serves as grand marshal. Nov. 24
2. New Year's Eve in Times Square
The Scoop: New York’s big New Year’s Eve celebration always includes confetti, celebrities, and more than 500,000 people watching the ball drop in Times Square. At 5 PM the surrounding area closes to traffic, at 10 PM the live telecast begins, and 60 seconds before midnight the countdown gets going. Last year Regis Philbin stood in for Dick Clark as the host of ABC’s televised special.
Behind the Scenes: Karen Zornow Leiding and Tim Tompkins of Times Square Alliance and Countdown Entertainment begin planning the event in January. The event team secures permits with city agencies such as the police department and the Department of Transportation, organize the 50 or so vendors involved, including a pyrotechnic services provider and a sky tracker operator, and even perform a confetti test by throwing the confetti out of their office windows. Last year marked the 100th
anniversary of the celebration. Dec. 31
3. St. Patrick's Day Parade
The Scoop: Originally a military procession in 1766, the parade became a social event after the War of 1812, when local Irish societies started sponsoring it. Today the annual parade proceeds up Fifth Avenue—from 44th Street to 86th Street—starting at 11 AM and finishing around 3 PM. Last year, while millions watched, more than 150,000 participants marched with bagpipers—the NYPD’s Emerald Society’s Pipes and Drums always participate—high school bands, and politicians.
Behind the Scenes: St. Patrick’s Day Parade Inc. produces the event every year. March 17
4. West Indian American Day Carnival
The Scoop: Founded in Harlem during the 1930’s, this parade now fills Brooklyn’s Eastern Parkway with musical performers, food, crafts, dancing, and roughly 3.5 million people. “J’ouvert,” the traditional commencement of festivities, begins at 2 AM on the morning of the event at Grand Army Plaza with a procession of steel drummers.
Behind the Scenes: The West Indian-American Day Carnival Association headed by Yolanda Lezama-Clark, produces the event, coordinating the costumed bands, the dancers, and the food and craft vendors. Last year’s grand marshals included Dennis M. Walcott, New York Deputy Mayor for Policy, and Senator Charles Schumer. Sept. 5
5. Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting
The Scoop: Last year's nine-ton, 71-foot Norway spruce was topped with a 550-pound crystal star by Swarovski—a first in the history of the event. And joining 2004’s guests were Olympians Paul Hamm, Sarah Hughes, and Carly Patterson.
Behind the Scenes: The search for the tree starts in February, and Glenn Mahoney, director of special events at Tishman Speyer, oversees the event, while WNBC and Trans World International produce the televised event. Late Nov./Early Dec.
6. Puerto Rican Day Parade
The Scoop: Proud Puerto Ricans line Fifth Avenue on the second Sunday in June to celebrate their heritage. This official city parade starts at 11 AM and runs between 44th and 86th Streets.
Behind the Scenes: President of Festive Productions Mike Laino produces the event, which brings around 800,000 spectators, more than 100 floats, bands, and food stands to Midtown Manhattan. This year the theme is inspired by the contributions Puerto Ricans have made to the New York workforce. 2005’s celebration is also the 49th anniversary of the parade and its ninth year as a nationally broadcast event on NBC. June 12
7. Gay Pride Parade
The Scoop: For the summer’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride March, more than a million spectators watch the 500,000-strong procession that runs down Fifth Avenue into Greenwich Village.
Behind the Scenes: Nonprofit Heritage of Pride organizes New York’s events to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots, and coordinates the three other major events that take place in June—the rally, the dance, and PrideFest, the annual street fair. Vendors at Pride Week events are organized by Clearview Festival Productions. June 26
8. Halloween Parade
The Scoop: Hundreds of puppets, dancers, bands, and New Yorkers in costume march through Manhattan proceeding uptown along Sixth Avenue from Spring Street to 22nd Street.
Behind the Scenes: Village Halloween Parade Inc. and its artistic and producing director Jeanne Fleming design and produce the event, which last year attracted around two million spectators and had almost 60,000 participants marching. The theme for the city’s largest annual costume party is always creative—last year the “sweet” theme featured a chocolate Buddha statue, and this year the parade’s design will focus on pumpkins, fire, and ancient Celtic celebrations. Oct. 31
9. Revlon Run/Walk for Women
The Scoop: This 5K run/walk begins in Times Square, ends in Central Park’s East Meadow and raises funds for organizations fighting women’s cancers. Last year New York’s sixth annual walk drew more than 40,000 (while the Los Angeles run/walk drew more than 50,000).
Behind the Scenes: Created in 1993 by the Entertainment Industry Foundation, Lily Tartikoff, and Ronald O. Perelman, the fund-raiser is produced by Joan Horton of Revlon and Rehage Entertainment’s Tracy Kessler. April 30
More Biggies:
The Ninth Avenue Food Festival street fair showcases international cuisine from 34th to 57th Street on May 14 and 15.
Macy’s Fourth of July 30-minute pyrotechnic extravaganza over the East River starts around 9 PM and is choreographed to an original score.
The Feast of San Gennaro is Little Italy’s 11-day street fair that celebrates the patron saint of Naples from September 15 to 25.
Nine museums provide free admission to the public during the Museum Mile Festival on June 7.
—Anna Sekula
Posted 02.23.05
Read about the rest of New York's Top 100 Events...
Photos: Timothy A. Clary/Getty Images (Macy’s), Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images (New Year’s Eve), Graham Morrison/Getty Images (St. Patrick’s), Mario Tama/Getty Images (Rockefeller tree), Stephen Chernin/Getty Images (Puerto Rican parade), Stan Honda/Getty Images (Gay Pride), Adi Ashkenazi (Halloween), courtesy of Revlon Walk/Run for Women
This story originally appeared in the February/March 2005 issue of the BiZBash Event Style Reporter.
The Scoop: Also known as America’s Parade, this famous holiday tradition that marches down Broadway between 9 AM and noon was started in 1926 and is now broadcast live on NBC. Last year the festivities included 800 cheerleaders, 500 clowns, 23 floats, 15 giant helium balloons, 10 marching bands, more than 10,000 Macy’s employees and volunteers, and around 2.5 million spectators. At the 78th parade in 2004 Macy’s unveiled new balloon technology, the balloonicle—a cold air, inflatable balloon attached to small utility vehicle.
Behind the Scenes: The parade’s balloons and floats are made in the parade studio in Hoboken, New Jersey, the clowns come from the company’s own clown camp, more than a dozen celebrities make special appearances, and high schools nationwide provide the bands. Robin Hall, Macy’s group vice president for special events, is the executive producer of the parade, and serves as grand marshal. Nov. 24
2. New Year's Eve in Times Square
The Scoop: New York’s big New Year’s Eve celebration always includes confetti, celebrities, and more than 500,000 people watching the ball drop in Times Square. At 5 PM the surrounding area closes to traffic, at 10 PM the live telecast begins, and 60 seconds before midnight the countdown gets going. Last year Regis Philbin stood in for Dick Clark as the host of ABC’s televised special.
Behind the Scenes: Karen Zornow Leiding and Tim Tompkins of Times Square Alliance and Countdown Entertainment begin planning the event in January. The event team secures permits with city agencies such as the police department and the Department of Transportation, organize the 50 or so vendors involved, including a pyrotechnic services provider and a sky tracker operator, and even perform a confetti test by throwing the confetti out of their office windows. Last year marked the 100th
anniversary of the celebration. Dec. 31
3. St. Patrick's Day Parade
The Scoop: Originally a military procession in 1766, the parade became a social event after the War of 1812, when local Irish societies started sponsoring it. Today the annual parade proceeds up Fifth Avenue—from 44th Street to 86th Street—starting at 11 AM and finishing around 3 PM. Last year, while millions watched, more than 150,000 participants marched with bagpipers—the NYPD’s Emerald Society’s Pipes and Drums always participate—high school bands, and politicians.
Behind the Scenes: St. Patrick’s Day Parade Inc. produces the event every year. March 17
4. West Indian American Day Carnival
The Scoop: Founded in Harlem during the 1930’s, this parade now fills Brooklyn’s Eastern Parkway with musical performers, food, crafts, dancing, and roughly 3.5 million people. “J’ouvert,” the traditional commencement of festivities, begins at 2 AM on the morning of the event at Grand Army Plaza with a procession of steel drummers.
Behind the Scenes: The West Indian-American Day Carnival Association headed by Yolanda Lezama-Clark, produces the event, coordinating the costumed bands, the dancers, and the food and craft vendors. Last year’s grand marshals included Dennis M. Walcott, New York Deputy Mayor for Policy, and Senator Charles Schumer. Sept. 5
5. Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting
The Scoop: Last year's nine-ton, 71-foot Norway spruce was topped with a 550-pound crystal star by Swarovski—a first in the history of the event. And joining 2004’s guests were Olympians Paul Hamm, Sarah Hughes, and Carly Patterson.
Behind the Scenes: The search for the tree starts in February, and Glenn Mahoney, director of special events at Tishman Speyer, oversees the event, while WNBC and Trans World International produce the televised event. Late Nov./Early Dec.
6. Puerto Rican Day Parade
The Scoop: Proud Puerto Ricans line Fifth Avenue on the second Sunday in June to celebrate their heritage. This official city parade starts at 11 AM and runs between 44th and 86th Streets.
Behind the Scenes: President of Festive Productions Mike Laino produces the event, which brings around 800,000 spectators, more than 100 floats, bands, and food stands to Midtown Manhattan. This year the theme is inspired by the contributions Puerto Ricans have made to the New York workforce. 2005’s celebration is also the 49th anniversary of the parade and its ninth year as a nationally broadcast event on NBC. June 12
7. Gay Pride Parade
The Scoop: For the summer’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride March, more than a million spectators watch the 500,000-strong procession that runs down Fifth Avenue into Greenwich Village.
Behind the Scenes: Nonprofit Heritage of Pride organizes New York’s events to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots, and coordinates the three other major events that take place in June—the rally, the dance, and PrideFest, the annual street fair. Vendors at Pride Week events are organized by Clearview Festival Productions. June 26
8. Halloween Parade
The Scoop: Hundreds of puppets, dancers, bands, and New Yorkers in costume march through Manhattan proceeding uptown along Sixth Avenue from Spring Street to 22nd Street.
Behind the Scenes: Village Halloween Parade Inc. and its artistic and producing director Jeanne Fleming design and produce the event, which last year attracted around two million spectators and had almost 60,000 participants marching. The theme for the city’s largest annual costume party is always creative—last year the “sweet” theme featured a chocolate Buddha statue, and this year the parade’s design will focus on pumpkins, fire, and ancient Celtic celebrations. Oct. 31
9. Revlon Run/Walk for Women
The Scoop: This 5K run/walk begins in Times Square, ends in Central Park’s East Meadow and raises funds for organizations fighting women’s cancers. Last year New York’s sixth annual walk drew more than 40,000 (while the Los Angeles run/walk drew more than 50,000).
Behind the Scenes: Created in 1993 by the Entertainment Industry Foundation, Lily Tartikoff, and Ronald O. Perelman, the fund-raiser is produced by Joan Horton of Revlon and Rehage Entertainment’s Tracy Kessler. April 30
More Biggies:
The Ninth Avenue Food Festival street fair showcases international cuisine from 34th to 57th Street on May 14 and 15.
Macy’s Fourth of July 30-minute pyrotechnic extravaganza over the East River starts around 9 PM and is choreographed to an original score.
The Feast of San Gennaro is Little Italy’s 11-day street fair that celebrates the patron saint of Naples from September 15 to 25.
Nine museums provide free admission to the public during the Museum Mile Festival on June 7.
—Anna Sekula
Posted 02.23.05
Read about the rest of New York's Top 100 Events...
Photos: Timothy A. Clary/Getty Images (Macy’s), Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images (New Year’s Eve), Graham Morrison/Getty Images (St. Patrick’s), Mario Tama/Getty Images (Rockefeller tree), Stephen Chernin/Getty Images (Puerto Rican parade), Stan Honda/Getty Images (Gay Pride), Adi Ashkenazi (Halloween), courtesy of Revlon Walk/Run for Women
This story originally appeared in the February/March 2005 issue of the BiZBash Event Style Reporter.
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
St. Patrick's Day Parade
Puerto Rican Day Parade
Halloween Parade
