Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: Where to watch and what to expect 

Macy’s is back with its 96th annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in the streets of New York City on Thursday. 

The almost-century-old tradition started when Macy’s flagship Manhattan store put on its first parade on Thanksgiving day in 1924, hoping to attract customers to shop for the holidays. 

Since then, the event has evolved to become one of the nation’s iconic Thanksgiving images, with giant balloons, performers, and festive floats strolling down the streets of the Big Apple. 

Whether you plan to attend the parade in person or watch it on your big screen, here is everything you need to know to catch this year’s parade: 

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade starts on Thursday morning at 9 a.m. ET and is expected to end at around noon. 

The parade can be seen on TV on NBC at 9 a.m. throughout all local time zones. Streaming service Peacock will also be streaming the parade. 

If you happen to be in New York City, there will be more than 2.5 miles of public viewing areas around the parade’s route from the Upper West Side to Midtown Manhattan. Macy’s shared an interactive version of the route to make it easier for viewers to catch a glimpse of the famous balloons. 

Like every other year in the past, Macy’s has invited several top-notch performers and celebrities to take part in the parade. Welcoming the holiday season, Mariah Carey will be opening for Santa Claus in this year's parade. The Christmas icon said she was honored to open for Santa and it was “a dream come true.”

Other performers include Paula Abdul, Sean Paul, Jordin Sparks, Adam Devine, Gloria Estefan, Big Time Rush, and Betty Who, among many others. 

The casts of Broadway musicals will also take part in the parade, including the cast of “The Lion King,” “Some Like It Hot,” "A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical" and "Funny Girl." The parade will also feature marching bands from the U.S. and Mexico. 

In addition to the giant balloons of favorite characters such as Pikachu & Eevee, Baby Yoda, and Snoopy, Macy’s announced four new balloon additions to its float: Bluey, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Sinclair's Dino, and Stuart the Minion.