Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: Street closures, balloons, performers and more
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The 96th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has returned to the streets of New York City.
The spectacle is once again delighting New York City spectators and a national television audience with its signature mix of giant character helium balloons, fantastic floats, marching bands, performance groups, celebrities, clowns, and the one-and-only Santa Claus.
It comes after the last two editions, in 2020 and 2021, were made-for-TV only events due to the pandemic.
This year's parade stepped off just before 9 a.m. as thousands of marchers began coursing through the streets of Manhattan with hundreds of thousands of spectators cheering them on.
Here is everything you need to know about the parade:
PARADE ROUTE
The 2022 Thanksgiving Day Parade steps off from Central Park West and 77th Street at 8:45 a.m. The 2.5-mile procession marches south to Columbus Circle, turns east onto Central Park South, and proceeds south on 6th Avenue to West 34th Street. It then turns west and ends at 7th Avenue, in front of Macy's Herald Square.
Anyone planning on going to the parade in person, be advised there will be no spectator viewing along the following sections of the route:
SECURITY
No large backpacks, lawn chairs, umbrellas, large coolers or alcoholic beverages will be allowed. Anyone who sees suspicious activity should alert a police officer or call 911. The NYPD's terrorism hotline is 888-NYC-SAFE.
There are no "active, credible or specific" threats to the annual Thanksgiving parade in New York but the NYPD warned in a new security assessment the event remains an "attractive target."
The document, known as an Event Threat Assessment and obtained by ABC News, said despite the absence of threats mass gatherings, iconic location and high-profile events, including parades, remain attractive targets for foreign terrorist organizations.
Part of the NYPD security profile for the parade includes blocker cars, barriers and bollards.
BALLOONS AND FLOATS
This year's parade will feature 16 giant character balloons, 28 floats, 40 novelty and heritage inflatables, more than 800 clowns, 12 marching bands, 700 clowns, 10 performance groups and, of course, Santa Claus.
New balloon giants joining the line-up on Nov. 24 include Stuart the one-eyed Minion from "Despicable Me 2," a new green dinosaur, an Apatosaurus, the debut of the animated sensation "Bluey," and a new "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" balloon.
One of the best ways to see the balloons is actually the day before when they are inflated. Last year's inflation took place Wednesday afternoon from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. The public entrance was at 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue.
Click here for more details on the inflation event.
CELEBRITY PERFORMERS
Lea Michele and the Broadway cast of "Funny Girl" and the legendary Dionne Warwick headline this year's celebration.
Other celebrities slated to be on hand include Paula Abdul, making her parade debut; Fitz and the Tantrums; Big Time Rush; "Blue's Clues & You!" host Josh Dela Cruz; Gloria Estefan along with her daughter, Emily, and grandson, Sasha; Kirk Franklin; Mario Lopez; Ziggy Marley; and Miss America 2022 Emma Broyles.
The singers Joss Stone, Jordin Sparks and Betty Who will all be part of the festivities as will the stars of Peacock's "Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin" - Adam Devine, Sarah Hyland and Flula Borg. Jimmy Fallon & The Roots will be on a float celebrating Central Park.
The NYPD has yet to announce this year's road closures, but here's what was closed last year.
ROAD CLOSURES THURSDAY
Formation for the parade will begin at 8 a.m. at the following locations:
-West 77th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
-West 81st Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
-Central Park West between West 77th and 86th Streets
The parade will begin at 9 a.m. from Central Park West and West 77th Street and proceed on the following route:
-South on Central Park West to Columbus Circle
-South through E/S Columbus Circle to West 59th Street
-East on West 59th Street to 6th Avenue
-South on 6th Avenue to West 34th Street
-West on West 34th Street to 7th Avenue (dispersal area)
Additional closures are as follows:
-Broadway between West 34th Street and West 41st Street- Midnight to 1 p.m.
-6th Avenue between West 23rd Street and West 42nd Street - 2 a.m. to 1 p.m.
-7th Avenue from West 34th Street and West 42nd Street - 2 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
-West 34th Street between 6th Avenue and 8th Avenue - 10 p.m. (Wed) to 5 p.m.
-West 59th Street E/B between 7th Avenue and Central Park West - Midnight to 2 p.m.
-West 59th Street W/B between 5th Avenue and Central Park West - 2 a.m. to 2 p.m.
-West 35th Street between 5th Avenue and 8th Avenue - 2 a.m. to 4 p.m.
-West 36th Street between 6th Avenue and 8th Avenue - 2 a.m. to 2 p.m.
-West 37th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue - 4 a.m. to 2 p.m.
-West 38th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue - 4 a.m. to 2 p.m.
-West 8th Avenue between 34th Street and 40th Street - 4 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
-Broadway between 38th Street and 59th Street - 4 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
-West 33rd Street between 7th Avenue and 10th Avenue - 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
-West 39th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue - 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
-West 40th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue - 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
-West 49th Street between 5th Avenue and 7th Avenue - 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
-West 50th Street between 5th Avenue and 7th Avenue - 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
-Central Park 65th Street/ West 66th Street Transverse Roads 7 a.m. until conclusion
Note: From 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. vehicles will not be able to access:
-6th Avenue between West 33rd and West 59th Street
-8th Avenue between West 57th Street and West 59th Street
-8th Avenue between West 33rd and West 40th Streets
-Broadway between West 59th Street and West 57th Street
-Broadway between West 34th and West 40th Streets (only escorted deliveries)
-West 42nd Street between 5th and 8th Avenue
-West 57th Street between 5th and 8th Avenue
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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