But for one woman on in her third-floor window on Central Park West, the view is more personal.
Elizabeth Kahane has been capturing the parade for 25 years through her camera, and now her new book "Come Join The Parade" tells the magic and view of what is an American tradition.
"I think the parade is a perfect example," said Kahane. "When I pass, I have to write it down somewhere. You know, some people have bag pipes and everything. I want the wherever one the Macy's band, but that year, i want them to come to my memorial, my funeral. I want the Macy's marching band. That's what i want."
Kahane's book also brings to life the new characters, memories and traditions that have become the fabric of the parade. And for her, the day itself is full of energy.
"It's very New York," she said. "So the parade is going there, and the parade is here, but mostly i am photographing it. This is what i do. And i do capture people here watching it. I am in the zone, and it's capturing the parade, like i just trying to bottle it up. And i think that's what resonates with the book. I think i accomplished that. Somebody said to me that the book was better than the parade. Now it wouldn't go that far, but i really did try to capture the crowds, the bands, the dancers, the cheerleaders, the balloons and of course the floats."
Kahane acknowledged that she loves the "spontaneity of it all" with photographing the parade.
But she's also a fan at heart.
"Well, probably Kermit," she said when asked her favorite balloon in the parade.
The book is timeless, and its enhanced through how the parade is seen through Kahane's lens.
"I'm also responding to is the crowd, because what you hear them cheering, and when you know the big their favorites are coming, or celebrities coming, they start cheering," she acknowledged. "And then they'll even start doing yelling things at, you know, like they like a unison, like a like, they start cheering together anyway. So I love the crowds. One of the things this is a new perspective for me that it's not actually in the book, is I started leaning over and I get this what's happening on the perimeter, because often the clowns, or some of these smaller characters, will come over to the crowd, and it's so funny, they do the high fives. Everybody wants a selfie. You know, this is what. Really brought me to start doing bringing up my parade images was during the pandemic, because you could not have a parade, you know, the physicalness of a cheek to jowl. And i started appreciating even more. And i said, oh, my god, i have parades all over the world. But it's, it's beautiful thing about a parade, it's free. It's for everyone, big and small, all ages, and it's just fun. You know, when else can you get something like that that? you can come it's outdoor art, really."
Each page of the book is a reminder that while life moves fast moments like these are worth stopping and snapping for especially when the view is this spectacular.
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