Bedford Hills Elementary Celebrates Third Annual Balloons Over Broadway Parade

Before the break, Bedford Hills Elementary School celebrated its third annual Balloons Over Broadway parade. Second graders in Kathleen Herson and Colleen Sullivan’s classes read the book “Balloons Over Broadway” — which celebrates the life of Tony Sarg, a puppeteer who invented the balloons that fly high over crowds during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade — before planning a parade of their own.

Inspired by the story, second graders created marionette puppets that they could move.

“This year, we used paper bags instead of balloons to give students a greater opportunity to be creative,” Herson said.

Younger peers in kindergarten and first grade added their own flair to the parade, which the upper grades watched excitedly. Kindergartners dressed up as turkeys (the costumes were made from paper bags) and first graders made Biscuit balloons to go along with their in-class reading.

“This year, we added a grand marshal!” Sullivan said, referring to computer aide Robert Alspach, who dressed up as a turkey with a special sash to lead the festivities.

Before the parade started, grades K-2 lined up excitedly in the hall by grade while their older peers lined the hallway to watch. As students paraded through the school, older students cheered them on enthusiastically, clapping, shouting out words of encouragement and giving them high fives. They also happily greeted former teachers.

All in all, it was a fantastic event that celebrated creativity and imagination and brought the Bedford Hills school community together before the Thanksgiving break.

“We did it!” a first-grade teacher shouted out to her students once the parade ended. “We lost a couple of balloons, but we did it!”