Happy Thanksgiving Pictures

Happy Thanksgiving Pictures: The Macy’s Parade will kick off the 2010 holiday season with 2.5 miles of balloons, floats, falloons and celebrity-carrying balloonicles. But first, Shrek, Garfield and newcomers like the Kung Fu Panda and Diary of a Wimpy Kid balloons come to life the night before on the streets surrounding the American Museum of Natural History.

Hundreds of people show up, and they get there early, so here’s what you need to know: where to watch, how to get there and where to park—if you’re daring enough to bring your car.

On Thanksgiving Eve, the blowing-up viewing entrance (77th Street and Columbus Avenue) opens at 3 p.m. and the balloons start getting inflated around 4 p.m. on 77thand 81st Streets between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue. Most should be blown up by 8 p.m., but will remain on view until 10 p.m.