Angry Birds' Red and the newly-made Red & Green Candy Cane help handlers old and new alike "learn the ropes" of flying the iconic balloons during a field training at Stevens Institute of Technology on September 18, 2022.
Throughout the year, Macy's holds several Balloon Field Training sessions throughout New Jersey to train balloon handlers and the flight management team for Parade Day. Traditionally, a field training is held at Stevens Institute of Technology in spring, with two or three more taking place throughout September and October at MetLife Stadium Parking Lot P. These events are closed to the public, and spectators are not permitted to attend.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the test flight at Stevens Institute of Technology was not held in 2020 nor 2021. In 2022, it was held on September 18, as opposed to the spring. The spring training returned to its usual form in 2023.
1987[]
November 8[]
- Raggedy Ann
- Geometric Ornaments
- White Macy's Star (Second version)
1997[]
November 8[]
2003[]
October 11[]
2005[]
June 4[]
- Wiggle Worm (Second version)
- Flying Fish
2006[]
Spring 2006[]
2008[]
October 13[]
2009[]
October 3[]
October 17[]
- Clifford the Big Red Dog
- Basketball (Second version)
2010[]
June 5[]
September 26[]
- Super Grover
- Cloe the Holiday Clown (Second version)
October 9[]
2011[]
June 4[]
September 24[]
October 8[]
2012[]
June 2[]
- Petula Pig
- Gazer the Elf
- Soccer Ball (Second version)
September 23[]
- Petula Pig
- Rex the Happy Dragon
- Baseball (Second version)
October 6[]
- Clifford the Big Red Dog
- Pumpkin (Second version)
2013[]
June 1[]
September 22[]
October 5[]
2014[]
May 31[]
September 13[]
October 12[]
2015[]
June 6[]
September 12[]
October 4[]
2016[]
June 4[]
September 10[]
October 8[]
2017[]
June 3[]
September 30[]
October 7[]
2018[]
June 2[]
September 23[]
September 29[]
October 31 (Stevens Test Flight)[]
2019[]
June 1[]
September 23[]
October 12[]
October 18 (Stevens Test Flight)[]
- Smokey Bear (Second Version)
- Love Flies Up to the Sky