NEW YORK — Giant balloons got into shape Wednesday for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as crews inflated the giant characters on the streets of New York City.

The parade kicks off Thursday morning, with dozens of huge balloons set to take to the skies. Floats, entertainers, marching bands and more will grace the streets.

About 100 balloon technicians and volunteers worked Wednesday to puff up dozens of characters. It takes about eight hours to ready them all, said Kathleen Wright, who oversees production operations for Macy's Studios.

The process might be gradual, but Ethan Otieno was excited to see it.

"I think it’s very cool to watch them be inflated and try to guess the characters,” the tourist from Texas said while watching with relatives.

Otieno's favorite balloon? Smokey Bear

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