\t\tNew York Post may be compensated and\/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the baste way to start Thanksgiving.<\/p>\n
The Macy\u2019s Thanksgiving Day Parade is ushering in holiday cheer for the 99th year \u2014 with 34 balloons, four mini-balloons, 28 floats, 33 clown groups and 11 marching bands slated to flood the Big Apple streets.<\/p>\n
More than 50 million people tune into the Macy\u2019s Thanksgiving Day Parade each year. James Keivom<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s festivities will debut an array of performers, balloons and floats<\/a> \u2014 including a kick-off performance by \u201cWicked\u201d star Cynthia Erivo.<\/a><\/p>\n Over 3.5 million people in New York City and more than 50 million viewers at home typically watch the parade, thanks to the\u00a0thousands of\u00a0volunteers<\/a>\u00a0who help the celebration run smoothly.\u00a0<\/p>\n What time does the parade start?<\/p>\n The 99th annual parade will kick off at 8:30 a.m. and will run to noon in all time zones, followed by an encore presentation at 2 p.m. ET\/PT.<\/p>\n How to watch and stream the parade<\/p>\n Per tradition, the only official broadcast for the Macy\u2019s Thanksgiving Day Parade is on NBC and the company\u2019s streaming service Peacock, with \u201cTODAY\u2019s\u201d Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker returning as hosts.<\/p>\n Another option for those who don\u2019t have Peacock or access to regular cable or broadcast TV is a live TV streaming service<\/a> such as DIRECTV<\/a>, which has a five-day free trial that includes NBC. <\/p>\n Sling TV<\/a> is another way to stream live television. Its Select plan includes NBC and starts at $19.99\/month.<\/p>\n NBC will also offer the broadcast with live audio description on the Secondary Audio Program channel for blind and visually impaired viewers.<\/p>\n Nintendo\u2019s Mario is among the new balloons making their debut this year. LP Media<\/p>\n Telemundo will air a Spanish-language simulcast on Telemundo, hosted by the network\u2019s Andrea Meza, Aleyda Ortiz and Clovis Nienow.<\/p>\n Macy\u2019s will also be sharing behind-the-scenes coverage on its social media channels: @macys and #MacysParade on Instagram, TikTok, Threads and other platforms.<\/p>\n What is the parade route to watch in person?<\/p>\n The 2.5-mile procession kicks off at the starting line at 77th Street and Eighth Avenue.<\/p>\n The parade weaves down West 59th Street toward Sixth Avenue, where it continues until reaching Macy\u2019s iconic Herald Square flagship.<\/p>\n There will be six new floats in this year\u2019s parade, including one dedicated to Stranger Things. LP Media<\/p>\n The end is where performers and floats stop for their televised productions.<\/p>\n There are some restricted viewing areas, including on Central Park West between West 59th and West 60th streets. For a full view of the map, visit macys.com\/s\/parade\/route.<\/a><\/p>\n What will the weather be like?<\/p>\n Fortunately, Gobble Day will be much drier than the past few days \u2014 though it will be chilly.<\/p>\n \u201cClear skies are expected during tomorrow\u2019s parade, but it will be significantly colder with temperatures only reaching the low 40s. Winds will also be quite gusty, with gusts as high as 30 mph, which will create much lower wind chills,\u201d said FOX Weather Meteorologist Matt Shapiro.<\/p>\n Will there be any special guests or performers?<\/p>\n Of course! There will be no shortage of performers, from singers to dancers and marching bands and more.<\/p>\n Other than Erivo\u2019s famous voice, the atmosphere will be flooded with tunes from other singers, including Conan Gray, Lainey Wilson, Ciara, Lil Jon, Foreigner,\u00a0Kool & the Gang,\u00a0Busta Rhymes,\u00a0Mickey Guyton\u00a0and Teyana.<\/p>\n PAC-MAN will also be making his debut this year. LP Media<\/p>\n