Balloon Handler Training

Today was ballon handler training for the 6ABC/Ikea Thanksgiving Day Parade. That's Philadelphia for those that think New York has the corner on Thanksgiving Day Parades. Hmph! :)

We were due at training between 10 and noon. We arrived just after 10. It was very humid. Very humid. We were wet just standing there waiting our turn. The balloon instructors took 21 people at a time (21 strings on the balloon). We were in the second group. It started to rain just as we took up the gloves and strings for our turn. Then it started to rain harder. Odie, the balloon we were practicing on did not like the cold and the rain. Despite our best efforts, the group could not get the feet to stay off the pavement. The instructor finally asked the people holding the foot (paw?) strings to stand under the feet and hold the balloon off the ground. The first group went around the parking lot twice. We went only once. It was really raining by this time. Good practice I suppose since the parade will go off rain or shine. I really hope it shines. :)

After this feeble attempt and practice we received our parade envelopes. We protected them from the rain inside our jackets and headed to the car. I couldn't wait to find out who or what we would escort down the parade route. If you were with us last year, you know that we ended up in yellow jumpsuits and purple wigs to carry ..................... Barney.

Well this year Barney isn't even in the parade. We must have done such a good job that they had to retire him. No? Well that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

This year we get to walk with





I am so psyched. Elmo is cool. See you on the 27th!

Thanksgiving Day Parade 2007 - Philadelphia

Let's set the record straight right from the get go. The Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade is the oldest continuously running parade in the nation. I will give in to "the parade you watch is the one you grew up with", but there are plenty of people out there who didn't grow up with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade but they watch anyway because it has better PR people. As far as I'm concerned Philadelphia's is THE Thanksgiving Day Parade.

This year, Dave and I volunteered to work in the parade. I saw an 'ad' for it on Action News one night and decided it would be fun. And Dave is the world's best sport when it comes to things like this! So I emailed the address given on their website, we completed the applications, went to balloon lessons on November 10 and on Thanksgiving Day we were two of about 45 people escorting Barney - the purple dinosaur - down Market Street and up the Parkway.

We arrived at the Crown Plaza Hotel (18 and Market) at 6 am to pick up costumes and gloves. Then it was down to Market Street to 'help' set up the balloon. You get to see plenty of strange things behind the scenes at this hour. This guy was inside making sure the balloon stablizers were in the right place. My first clue that he was in there was when he threw a sandbag out onto the street. This is Barney's foot by the way.

Slowly but surely Barney made his way off his back on Market Street into the air. On the left is my view of Barney. The rope coming off his thigh (?) was my responsibility all day. In this picture he is straight upright, but in reality he spent most of the day leaning forward a bit.

Other balloons lined Market Street slowly making their way skyward and waiting for their turn to step off behind other elements of the parade (bands, floats, dancers etc) which lined up on 20th Street. In front of us was the Christmas Bell and Oscar the Grouch and his green haired handlers. Behind us was the Penquin gang!

The Penquin and Oscar had their own troubles getting vertical. Some have said that our costumes were joke worthy. The Penquin Gang had to wear Penquins on their head. So I think all in all we made out ok! Our yellow jumpsuits were all the same size. I was one of the shortest handlers and my cuffs at all extremities were rolled up at least six times and the pant legs were pinned to make sure I didn't trip.

The early hour, the long waiting (we spent 6 hours on a less than 2 mile route), and the warm day couldn't spoil the fun of working this event. The children along the route were so much fun to see and hear. Their laughter and cheers were contagious. Being that this IS Philadelphia we did get booed on one block because we didn't spin the balloon as 'requested'. Oh well. We are in good company seeing as how legend has it that Philly fans have booed Santa Claus!

All good things must come to an end however and we finished the day helping to deflate the balloon and then a somewhat stinky ride back to the hotel (70 degrees, warm costumes and hats figure it out!LOL).

I'd do it again in a heartbeat!