Mayor Eric Adams: Welcome to New York. Before we start the press conference, we just want to have a moment of reflection on two National Guards, men and women, who were shot in Washington, D.C. The investigation is ongoing. The police commissioner and Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Weiner is closely monitoring the situation, and as we learn more, we will share more.
To those who are here to enjoy the amazing Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, I'm looking forward to being out tomorrow with so many men and women and children and families. We know that we bring our families here, children, but as adults, we know we love the parade also. And I'm going to look forward to seeing all of our favorite characters that are going to be here.
And we have a role as the New York City Police Department to ensure that we keep all New Yorkers safe. And I want to really thank Will and the whole Macy's Association, the volunteers. The balloons behind us play such a major role in this parade. And for 99 years, the Macy’s organization has put on this Thanksgiving Day Parade, and we are pumped up to see this year's festivities.
The Macy's Thanksgiving Parade marks the official start of our holiday season, and it plays a major impact on the economics of the city, from Black Friday to the deals, to the shopping. This season time, not only is it a lot of fun to exchange gifts, but it also plays a major role in the economic stability of the city.
New Yorkers are going to enjoy this parade season. Tomorrow, the weather is going to be mild. We're going to monitor the situations with the balloons. If it reaches a level that we cannot have them up, we'll communicate with the Macy’s organizers to get proper information.
And to my entire team that's here, FDNY, New York City Police Department, Department of Sanitation, DOT, all the volunteers, we just really want to say thank you. They take time out from their families to be out here to make sure this is a smooth parade and it operates in a fair way.
Those who are traveling in the city, take public transportation. Many roads are going to be closed, so it's better to use our public transportation. What I like to say is the best transportation in the entire country to get to and from the parade locations.
We look forward to many of the balloons, some of the popular balloons that will be displayed, but most importantly, have a great time and a safe time. See something, say something, do something, notify the men and women who will be along the parade route, police will be in uniform. Some of the police personnel will be in uniform and you'll see, but much of our law enforcement apparatus would not be in uniform doing what they do best, monitor the situation.
So I want to turn it over to the police commissioner of the City of New York, Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch: Thank you, sir. Good evening, everyone. Before I begin, I want to echo the mayor's remarks. I want to address the shooting incident that occurred earlier today in Washington, D.C. At this time, we know that at least two National Guard members were shot in what appears to be a targeted attack on law enforcement.
We are keeping the guards members and their families in our thoughts and prayers, and we are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with our law enforcement partners in D.C. And at this time, there appears to be no known nexus to New York City. But of course, we will continue to track the situation as it develops and more information becomes available.
Now, turning to tomorrow's festivities, other than the ball drop on New Year's Eve, the Thanksgiving Day Parade is the most iconic event in New York City. As 8,000 marchers, 42 balloons, 28 floats, 11 marching bands and some of the entertainment industry's biggest stars come to New York to officially kick off the holiday season.
They'll be putting on a show for three and a half million people along the parade route and about 50 million more watching on TV from around the world. It is the centerpiece of America's Thanksgiving celebrations. And for the 99th year, the NYPD will be there to keep everyone safe.
We're grateful to partner with the team at Macy's. So many people work in tandem to ensure that this parade runs smoothly. And it all hinges on planning, on precision and on getting every detail right. And I'm here today to go over some of those details.
First, we can tell you that at this time there are no known specific credible threats to the parade. But, as always, New Yorkers will see an increased police presence with thousands of NYPD officers posted along the two and a half mile parade route and on the surrounding blocks. They will be supported by specialized units from across the department, including ESU, Mounted, K-9, Harbor, Aviation, the Bomb Squad and more.
Our helicopters and our drones will be deployed to enhance our patrol coverage on the ground. And there will be hundreds of NYPD and DSNY blocker vehicles strategically positioned along the route, along with 14000 metal barricades to protect both the marchers and the spectators.
Before, during and after the parade, there will be security measures that you will see and others, as the mayor mentioned, that you will not see. Our joint operations center will be fully activated with all of our city, state and federal partners and personnel there. We'll be actively monitoring fixed and mobile cameras along the route and in the surrounding area. Intelligence teams will also be analyzing social media for potential threats and response units will be deployed citywide to investigate any reports in real time.
The most important asset that we have, though, is you, the public. There is no greater force multiplier than a responsive and an engaged public. So, we ask everyone to stay alert. As the mayor said, if you see something, say something. You can either talk to a uniformed officer along the route or you can always call 911.
As always, we are paying close attention to tomorrow's forecast to monitor wind conditions and we'll make a decision in the morning if any changes to balloon heights are required. Some other logistics for tomorrow. The parade route steps off from the corner of West 77th Street and Central Park West with the first groups marching at 8:30 a.m. They will head south on Central Park West, turn left onto Central Park South and then right onto 6th Avenue. The route will end at 34th Street in front of the Macy's Herald Square with the last marchers finishing around noon.
So, starting at 9 p.m. tonight and then rolling through the end of the event, there will be a restricted zone extending on either side of the parade route with street closures from West 77th Street down to West 59th Street, 9th Avenue to the park, including all Central Park transverse roads and 59th Street down to 34th Street, 7th Avenue to 5th Avenue.
There will be no crosstown traffic through the parade and there will be five pedestrian crossings on 6th Avenue at 57th Street, 52nd, 48th, 44th and 39th Streets. And we anticipate all streets to be open to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic by around 3 p.m. tomorrow.
Spectators entering viewing areas should know that bags are subject to inspection and prohibited items include coolers, oversized bags, chairs, umbrellas, strollers, bicycles, pets, alcohol, all weapons, obviously, and any large items that could obstruct the view of the people around you.
Additionally, the use of drones will not be allowed. For a full list of prohibited items, please check the advisory that is posted on the NYPD's website.
Since the parade cuts through the center of Manhattan, you can expect vehicle traffic in the area to be heavy and parking, of course, to be very limited. So, if you plan on joining us tomorrow morning, we urge everyone to take public transportation. Just be aware that from 4 a.m. until 11 a.m., the F line subway will bypass 57th Street and the C line will bypass 81st Street.
And five bus lines, M1, M2, M3, M4 and Q32 will be diverted away from the parade route from 2 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Other than that, the transit system will run as normal, but please check the MTA's website for the most up-to-date information.
I want to thank every member of the NYPD who will be spending their Thanksgiving keeping New Yorkers safe and every partner agency who will be working with us to deliver another successful parade. The world will be watching and once again, the NYPD will be ready. Happy Thanksgiving and stay safe. And now we will hear from Macy's.
Will Coss, Executive Producer, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: Thank you, commissioner. Good evening and thank you for joining us. I'm Will Coss. I'm the executive producer of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It's a true honor to welcome you all here tonight alongside Mayor Adams, NYPD Commissioner Tisch, as we gather to celebrate our annual balloon inflation ahead of our 99th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Since 1924, the parade has marked the start of the holiday season, bringing magic, wonder and creating cherished memories that span generations. Macy's Parade is made possible by the talented team of Macy's studios, artisans who design, who build each and every float, balloon with creativity, precision and unmatched skill.
Our parade stands as a showcase of world-class entertainment featuring an exciting lineup of over 5,000 volunteers, 34 balloons, 28 floats, more than 700 clowns, our favorites, 11 marching bands, nine performance groups and appearances by the biggest stars in pop culture. As Santa crosses 34th Street, we officially, as Mayor Adams mentioned, welcome the holiday season together.
None of this would be possible without the steadfast partnership from our partners at various New York City agencies, the NYPD, Mayor Adams, Commissioner Tisch and the thousands of dedicated city employees. Your collaboration ensures that this event continues to surprise and delight each year.
As we look forward to our parade's 100th march in 2026, we celebrate togetherness, joy and this event as an enduring gift for our city and for our nation. On behalf of Macy's and our colleagues nationwide, we want to thank you for being part of this beloved tradition and for helping us tell the stories that helped to create wonderful holiday memories for a lifetime. Thank you again for being here. It's a privilege to be able to reintroduce New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Question: [Inaudible] in light of what happened in D.C. earlier today and any sort of security [inaudible] that have happened, any new strategies?
Police Commissioner Tisch: As we mentioned at this parade, there are assets that you will see and assets that you won't see. The assets that you won't see are largely from our Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureau and they will be out there, of course, in full force. There are also going to be thousands of uniformed officers out along the routes as well.
But, as we remind everyone every year, the public is the best force multiplier that we have. If you see something, say something, either to a uniformed officer along the route or you can always call 911. But, I'll just reiterate, there are at this time no known credible threats to the Thanksgiving Day parade at this time.
Question: Commissioner, anything about this year versus last year's security overlay that had to change based on that particular [inaudible]?
Police Commissioner Tisch: I think what I would say about this year is there's a little more of a lot of different things. More drones that will be deployed, slightly more officers than last year. We are being quite vigilant in our preparations for the parade this year and you will see a robust NYPD presence out there.
Question: Protestors have been an issue in the past in terms of stopping the parade. Have you guys learned anything to stop them from stopping the parade? In terms of strategies?
Police Commissioner Tisch: Yes, we have had protestors disrupt the parade, I think, for the past two years. The NYPD has teams that are prepared to address that and any other situations that come our way.
Question: Has anything changed in the last few hours in regards to security with what happened in Washington D.C.? You talked a lot about all the extras, but what about the last few hours?
Police Commissioner Tisch: Unfortunately, what happened in the last few hours is one attack in a growing number of attacks against law enforcement across the country. So the type of thing that we saw in Washington D.C., tragic. That type of planning has been built into our plans for deployment tomorrow already.
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