Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia features Pennsbury band, Bristol dancers and more
The Pennsbury Marching Band will perform alongside towering floats in the likeness of Smurfette, Fraggle Rock's Red and Mr. Potato Head during the 6ABC Dunkin' Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Pennsbury is one of the eight school marching bands performing Thursday in Philadelphia.
The parade route itself begins at 20th and JFK Boulevard, turns left on 16th Street to the Ben Franklin Parkway. It then turns left on the Parkway to the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Here's everything else you need to know, including who else is performing, special guests, road closures and best ways to attend or watch the parade.
Thanksgiving Day Parade begins early, broadcast on ABC; dozens of floats to be on display
The 6ABC Dunkin' Thanksgiving Day Parade begins at 8:30 a.m. and will be broadcast on WPVI in the Delaware Valley.
The Thanksgiving Day Parade will also feature other multistory floats, including the Acme Season of Thanks; Horton the Elephant; Gobo from Fraggle Rock; Pinkie Pie from My Little Pony; Strawberry Shortcake; and the SS Dunkin' Rollin' on the Riverfront float.
The entire float lineup for the 6ABC Dunkin' Thanksgiving Day Parade is posted online.
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Pennsbury Marching Band among area Thanksgiving Day Parade performers
The Pennsbury marching band is just one of several school-based bands and groups to perform during Thursday's parade. The Stepping Stone Dance Studio, which is based in Bristol, will also perform.
All told, Thursday's parade will showcase five segments of performances. There's the 2023 Singin’ & Dancin’ On The Parkway group; the Dunkin' FanTAPulous group; the marching band group; performing arts group; and the special units group.
The entire performance lineup for the parade is available online as well.
Special guest celebrities to attend Thanksgiving Day Parade
Several celebrities are schedules to attend Thursday's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Celebrities confirmed include longtime morning television show host Kelly Ripa, who grew up in South Jersey, and her husband and co-host, actor Mark Consuelos; soul singer Lady Alma; Good Morning America's Sam Champion; radio legend John DeBella; The Bachelor's Joey Graziadei; singer Ashlee Keating; ESPN anchor and former 6ABC intern Kevin Neghandi; and American Idol contestant Colin Stough.
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The Sharpe Family Singers, Tito Puente, Jr., and Village People will all perform as well.
Weather outlook; road closures for Thanksgiving Day Parade; SEPTA best option for attending
According to the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, attendees will need to button up on a chilly, but otherwise sunny Thanksgiving.
The weather service notes that Thursday will be sunny, with a high near 53. There will be northwest winds 10 to 15 mph.
Parade attendees should also be aware of several road closures and alterations to public transpiration schedules to be aware of.
In general, the area near JFK Boulevard and Benjamin Franklin Parkway will be closed, beginning at Midnight on Thursday.
The SEPTA noted that its services will operate on a reduced schedule, with Routes 2, 7, 17, 27, 31, 32, 33, 38, 43, 44, 48, 49, 124/125 detoured from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.
All of SEPTA's busses, trollies, subways and the Norristown High Speed Line will operate on a Sunday schedule.
For Bucks County residents looking to attend, catching one of the three SEPTA regional rail lines that service the county will be the best way to get there.
The Lansdale Doylestown line, Trenton Line and the West Trenton line serve Bucks County and will be operating throughout the Thanksgiving Day parade.
SEPTA stations near the Thanksgiving Day parade route is the 15th Street stop on the Market-Frankford Line; City Hall on the Broad Street Line; 15th Street Station for Trolley Routes 10, 11, 13, 34 and 36; and Suburban Station for Regional Rail lines.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: 6ABC Dunkin' Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia kicks off holiday
