When Was The First Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
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5 days ago
Everything you need to know about the annual event
Today is Thanksgiving, which means the Macy’s Day Parade will soon be returning to the streets of New York City. With appearances from a whole host of famous faces, plus an abundance of music, marching bands and colourful floats, it’s set to be one of the biggest in history. So what can New Yorkers expect this year? And how can people tune in from home?
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: History, Route & How To Watch
What Is The Macy’s Parade?
Every November, New York comes alive with balloons, clowns, cheerleaders and more for the annual Macy’s Parade. The tradition dates back many years to 27 November 1924, when it was called the Macy’s Christmas Parade: an event held by American store Macy’s to mark the opening of what was billed as the world’s largest store, spanning over 1,000,000 square feet.
The initial aim was to ramp up demand for Christmas shopping, but over the years the significance of the parade has changed. It has grown to become an inextricable part of the Thanksgiving tradition – and in 1927, the name changed to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. However, the event has retained a connection with Christmas, with Santa Clause making regular appearances alongside plenty of festive paraphernalia. Now in its 98th year, the parade remains as popular as ever, attracting over 3.5 million people, with another 50 million watching from home.
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Who is Performing In 2024?
A string of top artists have performed at the parade since its beginnings, including Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Kanye West, Gwen Stefani and Cher. And this year’s line-up looks equally star-studded, with Kylie Minogue, Jennifer Hudson, Billy Porter, The Temptations and Idina Menzel all primed to perform.
Cast members of the Wicked movie will also be popping up, including Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, as well as basketball team the New York Liberty – along with their mascot Ellie the Elephant. Young fans, meanwhile, can enjoy spotting characters like Minnie Mouse, Spider-Man and The Elf on the Shelf.
There will also be 10 performance groups, 11 marching bands, 17 character balloons, 22 floats and 700 crowns – and Community star Alison Brie will be cutting the ribbon to kick off the procession.
When Is The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
In 2024, the parade will take place on 28 November. It will begin at 8.30am ET, finishing around noon.
Where Is The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2024?
The parade takes place in New York, beginning on the Upper West Side on West 77th Street and Central Park West. It then takes a 2.5-mile route through Central Park South to 6th Avenue before heading to 34th Street and 7th Avenue, ending at Macy’s Herald Square at 34th Street.
How To Watch
Every year the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is streamed so you can tune in from home. In America, you can catch it live on NBC, or streamed on Peacock. Unfortunately, it’s not available on any UK channels – but you can guarantee snaps from the parade will pop up all over TikTok, so keep your eyes peeled.
