How can I watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? When is it? What you need to know
It's that time of year again: The streets of New York will be filled with holiday cheer on Thursday for the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The tradition dates back nearly a century, when Macy's flagship Manhattan store put on its first holiday parade (then called the Macy's "Christmas Parade") on Thanksgiving morning in 1924, in hopes to attract customers for holiday shopping.
In the decades following, the parade has grown and evolved to the hourslong event filled with towering balloons, celebrity performers and festive floats that we know today.
Parade-lovers can watch in person, on live TV or via streaming. Here's what you need to know for Thursday.
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What time is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will kick off Thursday morning at 9 a.m. ET. The parade is expected to last about three hours, ending at noon.
How can I watch the parade?
You can watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC starting at 9 a.m. in all local time zones. It will also stream on Peacock.
Of course, if you're in New York City, it's possible to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in person on Thursday. According to Macy's, this year there are 2.5 miles of public viewing areas on the parade's route, which spans from the Upper West Side to Midtown. You can view a map here.
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This year's performers: Mariah Carey, Lea Michele and more
Like in years past, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade will be filled with impressive performances, from Broadway casts to celebrity appearances.
Last week, singer and holiday icon Mariah Carey announced on Instagram that she will be opening for Santa Claus in this year's parade. In addition to Carey's performance, the parade will also feature appearances by Big Time Rush, Gloria Estefan with daughter Emily and grandson Sasha, Sean Paul, Blanco Brown, Betty Who, Jordin Sparks, Adam Devine, Sarah Hyland and more.
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The Broadway casts of "The Lion King," "Some Like It Hot," "A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical" and "Funny Girl" featuring Lea Michele will also make performances. Other group performances include Ballet Hispánico, Big Apple Circus, Spirit of America Cheer and more.
What balloons will be in the Thanksgiving Day parade?
Of course, we'll also see giant balloons float their way through the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year – including character favorites like the Pillsbury Doughboy, Pikachu & Eevee, Baby Yoda and Astronaut Snoopy.
Macy's says there are four new balloons in the lineup this year: Bluey, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Sinclair's Dino and Stuart the Minion.
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In addition to balloon and celebrity performances, the parade will feature marching bands from the U.S. and Mexico, numerous floats and clowns.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade? How to watch, what to know
