CBS New York gets behind-the-scenes look at Holiday Train Show, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and more
NEW YORK -- The holiday season is upon us and many New York City traditions are back for another year.
On Tuesday, CBS New York went behind the scenes at the Holiday Train Show in the Bronx, which kicks off Saturday, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the Harlem Holiday Lights celebration.
The Harlem parade started on 125th Street, one of many events getting New Yorkers into the holiday spirit.
Earlier, reporter Jenna DeAngelis visited the Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden. It offers one place for people to marvel at many of the city's iconic landmarks, from its buildings to its bridges.
"All of the replicas of the New York City landmarks are made entirely out of plant parts. Visitors can come and see the intricacies of the artistry that went into each of these replicas and they can learn about the plants that made it happen," said Jennifer Bernstein, CEO of New York Botanical Garden.
The 32nd annual train show features more than 30 trains zipping through nearly 200 botanical structures created by Kentucky-based company Applied Imagination, which works on this show year-round.
"Once we get on site, that's 16 days, 25 people and a total of about 3,000 hours to create what you're seeing," said Laura Busse-Dolan, president and CEO of Applied Imagination.
This year's new addition is an outdoor display that brings the show back to its roots.
"When it first began in 1992 and my father had just 15 buildings and four model trains, he created the first holiday train show outdoors, so this is a real full-circle moment," Bernstein said.
It has grown to incorporate everything from the Statue of Liberty to Grand Central Terminal, Yankee Stadium, and Macy's Herald Square, a reminder of another long-standing holiday tradition.
"This year, it's the 97th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade,' said Kathleen Wright, director of production operations for Macy's Studios.
Macy's unveiled four new floats on Tuesday: "Mutant Mayhem," "Palace of Sweets" by Brachs, "Igniting Memories" by Solo Stove, and the "Deliciously Delectable World of Wonka."
"The "Good Burgermobile" will also make an appearance.
"We have 26 amazingly beautiful floats, 16 giant character balloons, a whole lot of clowns, marching bands. It's going to deliver all of the things we know, love and expect on Thanksgiving morning," Wright said.
Organizers behind both events promise they'll be bigger and better than ever.
This is the 30th anniversary of Harlem Holiday Lights -- another long-standing tradition and a reminder there's nowhere quite like New York City for the holidays.
The Holiday Train Show opens Saturday and runs through Jan. 15.