NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) – The 98th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will take over Manhattan Thursday morning, lining the streets with extravagant balloons and fanfare.
The 2.5-mile route will be filled with marching bands, celebrity performers, and floats starting at 8:30 a.m. And if you can't make it in person, the parade will be broadcast on TV and livestreamed online.
Here's everything you need to know about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade:
The parade will start at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday and last through 12 p.m.
The balloons will start their epic holiday journey at West 77th Street and Central Park West, then head down Central Park West to Columbus Circle, where they will turn onto Central Park South. The parade will then go down Sixth Avenue to 34th Street, ending between Fifth and Sixth Avenues on 34th Street.
If you can’t make it to New York City, the parade will be broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock starting at 8:30 a.m.
In addition to local performance groups, some major celebrities are scheduled to perform at the parade, including Idina Menzel, T-Pain, Ariana Madix, Charli D’Amelio and Clöe Bailey.
Six new balloons and seven new floats will debut this year, including a Minnie Mouse balloon, a Spider-Man balloon, and a Bronx Zoo float. A Wednesday Adams float will also premiere this year, as well as an ode to Dora the Explorer.
Drivers should avoid Midtown, Manhattan, on Thursday morning, if possible. Dozens of streets will be closed at the discretion of the NYPD. For a full list of street closures, click here.
