Macy’s Parade balloon inflation hours changing this year

New York police say the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon inflation viewing will end two hours earlier this year and anyone attending must be screened.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to head to Central Park on Wednesday to watch the giant balloons take shape. This year, the public must leave by 8 p.m. instead of 10 p.m. The event also will begin two hours earlier, at 1 p.m. No backpacks will be allowed. Central Park West will be shut down starting at noon.

On Thursday, intersections along the parade route will be blocked off to avoid unauthorized vehicles.

But eager viewers can still line up early to get good spots.

Police say there will be an officer on every street corner. Security is extra tight following a terrorist truck attack that killed eight people on Oct. 31.