The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade rolls through NYC today. How and when to see in person

NEW YORK — The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade takes place in New York City today, as the iconic balloons, floats and performers march through Manhattan.

Here’s everything you need to know about when it starts, where to see it and what’s new on the line-up this year.

What time is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?

The parade starts at 8.30 Thursday 28 November – the fourth Thursday in November. It is expected to last 3.5 hours and finish around

Last year’s parade was briefly interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters who laid down on the street. The parade turned around the protesters and was able to continue.

If you missed it, check it out last night’s balloon inflation celebration as the classic characters came to life.

How to Watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Families across the country start their Thanksgiving traditions by lighting the parade. While many watch from home, others flock to Manhattan to catch all the action in person.

Spectators were allowed to start lining up already at 6 a.m. between West 75th and 61st streets along Central Park West.

As the parade heads south on Sixth Avenue, the best vantage points will be from West 59th to 38th streets.

Map of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade route

The parade begins at West 77th Street and Central Park West on the Upper West Side. It turns onto Central Park South at the bottom of the park and then over to Sixth Avenue.

The route extends about 1.5 miles south to reach the Macy’s flagship store at Herald Square on West 34th Street.

Along the way, the parade marches past Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Centerthen off Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park.

Balloons in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

This year’s lineup contains 22 balloons, including six new figures: Disney’s Minnie Mouse, Extraordinary Noorah & Elf on the Shelf, Gabby from “Gabby’s Dollhouse”, Goku from “Dragon Ball”, Marshall from “PAW Patrol” and Spider-Man, who returns after more than a decade.

There will also be 34 floats28 clown crews, 11 marching bands, 11 performance groups and seven “balloons”. They will be joined by 28 artists, incl WNBA champion New York Liberty and their beloved mascot Ellie the elephant.

The full roster also includes: Alex Warren, Ariana Madix, Bishop Briggs, Charli D’Amelio, Chlöe, Coco Jones, Dan + Shay, Dasha, Idina Menzel, Jimmy Fallon & The Roots, Joey McIntyre, Kylie Cantrall, Lea Salonga, Liza Colón-Zayas, Natti Natasha, Rachel Platten, Roman Mejia, Sebastián Yatra, The Temptations, Tiler Peck, T-Pain, Walker Hayes and The War and Treaty.

And of course the parade ends with a visit from a certain Mr. Claus.

With mass transit to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

MTA encourages spectators to ride the metrousing the 1/2/3 station at 72nd Street, the 1 station at 79th Street, or the A/B/C/D station at Columbus Circle. The agency says the 1 train and 42nd Street bus will run further, while the A/C/D trains will bypass the 81st Street-Museum of Natural History station.

Throughout the city, all subways and buses run on a Sunday schedule.

Meanwhile, the Long Island Rail Road is operating on a holiday/weekend schedule, with 15 additional trains added on the Babylon, Ronkonkoma/Farmingdale and Huntington branches. Metro-North Railroad is also running a holiday schedule of 11 additional trains on the Hudson, Harlem, New Haven and Port Jervis lines.

The MTA says other service changes will be in effect for Black Friday and the holiday weekend.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Roadblocks

Whether traveling to the parade or just getting around, drivers should prepare for several road closures in Manhattan.

NYPD says the following streets will be closed Thursday:

Formation:

• Columbus Avenue between 72nd Street and 83rd Street
• Central Park West between 81st Street and 86th Street
• 83rd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• 82nd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• 81st Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• 77th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• 76th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• 75th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• 74th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• 72nd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• 71st Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• 68th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• 62nd Street between Central Park West and Broadway
• 61st Street between Central Park West and Broadway
• 59th Street between 6th Avenue and 5th Avenue

Route:

• Central Park West between 81st Street and the East Side of Columbus Circle/59th Street
• Columbus Circle (Full Circle)
• 59th Street between Columbus Circle and 6th Avenue
• 6th Avenue between 59th Street and 34th Street
• 34th Street between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue

Spread:

• 33rd Street between 5th Avenue and 10th Avenue
• 34th Street between 7th Avenue and 8th Avenue
• 34th Street between 6th Avenue and 5th Avenue
• 35th Street between 5th Avenue and 8th Avenue
• 36th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue
• 37th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue
• 38th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue
• 39th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue
• 40th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue
• 41st Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue
• 7th Avenue between 31st Street and 41st Street
• Broadway between 45th Street and 34th Street

Miscellaneous:

• 58th Street between 9th Avenue and 5th Avenue
• 43rd Street between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue
• 40th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue
• 39th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue
• 38th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue
• 37th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue
• 36th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue
• 32nd Street between Broadway and 7th Avenue
• 6th Avenue between 32nd Street and 34th Street
• 8th Avenue between 41st Street and 33rd Street
• Broadway between 32nd Street and 34th Street
• Broadway between Columbus Circle and 58th Street
• 8th Avenue between Columbus Circle and 58th Street
• Grand Army Plaza between 59th Street and 5th Avenue

Get more details on Gridlock Alert Days for the holiday season here.

Cleaning up after the parade

New York City’s Department of Sanitation joked that there will be “no leftovers” after the parade. It is deploying 147 sanitation workers and 23 officers using 32 hand brooms, 29 mechanical brooms, 23 backpack blowers and 23 collection trucks to help clean up after the festivities.

Last year, sanitation workers said they removed more than 65 tons of trash.