Sandy spared Macy’s Thanksgiving parade giant balloons, floats

Kermit the Frog and Hello Kitty are apparently not among Hurricane Sandy’s victims, even though Macy’s keeps the giant balloons, floats and costumes for its annual New York City Thanksgiving Day Parade across the Hudson River in hard-hit New Jersey

Macy’s parade design studio last year moved from Hoboken to Moonachie, a northern New Jersey town overcome by flooding when a levee broke last week, forcing mass evacuations.

Flood water did not creep into the design studio, located near the Hackensack River, although streets and nearby businesses were inundated, said John Piper, vice president of the parade studio.

Nor did the water apparently damage a nearby warehouse where Macy’s stores more than 80% of its parade equipment, Piper said, adding that staff still needed to get inside the building to confirm that assessment.

The televised parade would come weeks after Sandy wrought devastation across the Eastern Seaboard and Mayor Michael Bloomberg canceled the New York City Marathon after complaints it would divert resources needed to aid the storm’s victims.

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