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After another New York winter, it’s finally time to get excited about spring.

For many residents, spring is the best season in New York – the perfect medium between the harsh winter and the heat of summer. A time to take walks through the city’s parks and start eating and drinking alfresco again, and for many, it’s when the city is most beautiful.

Because in spring, New York is in bloom.

While one of the world’s biggest cities might not immediately strike you as a great place to see the colors of spring, New York City is home to 30,000 acres of parks and forests – including the biggest urban park in the world, Central Park.

But the parks aren’t the only place to see the best blooms in the city.

Macy’s flagship store at Herald Square hosts several iconic events throughout the year, most famously the Thanksgiving Parade and the spring flower show.

If you’re visiting the Big Apple between the 26th of March and the 9th of April, or looking for a reason to do so, here is everything you need to know about the Macy’s Flower Show. 

History of the Macy’s Flower Show

Macy’s Flower Show kicks off the spring season, showcases some of the first blooms in the city and paving the way for the other great flower shows in New York.

The first Macy’s Flower Show in New York took place in the 1970s and has been celebrated annually for over 50 years in Macy’s Herald Square over a two-week period.

Preparing New York’s Most Famous Flower Show

Preparing one of the biggest flower displays in the city is no easy feat. In fact, it’s thought to take an entire year of planning, three months of building, 3,000 hours of labor, and over 1 million different flowers to bring the elaborate show to life.

Flower Show Themes

Every year Macy’s Flower Show follows a theme that ties all the different displays and installations together. Previous themes include The Painted Garden, The Secret Garden, Art in Bloom, America the Beautiful, Carnival, Once Upon a Springtime, Journey to Paradisios, Give. Love. Bloom, and Floral Fragrances.

While no theme has been announced yet this year, we do know that Dior will be working on a Dior Made with Love installment, which promises to feature a “dreamscape of fluffy clouds and whimsical floral landscapes.”

Other Blooms in New York

If you want to avoid the crowds of Macy’s, there are plenty of other amazing places in the city to experience the beautiful blooms of New York. The Upper West Side is home to the biggest tulip festival outside of the Netherlands on the 13th and 14th of May.

Looking for other ideas to see the spring blooms in New York? Consider visiting one of Central Park’s famous blooms, the blossoms along Cherry Walk, or the woodlands at Brooklyn’s Botanical Garden.

Visiting New York this spring? The Hotel Beacon is in the heart of the Upper West Side, moments from Cherry Walk and Central Park – the perfect base for your spring sight-seeing trip to New York.