Beloved characters like Snoopy and SpongeBob SquarePants soared through the skies above New York City Thursday while bands march along the streets below as the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade ushered in the holiday season.
Quick Read
- The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade returned to New York City with beloved characters like Snoopy and SpongeBob SquarePants featured in balloon form.
- The parade commenced on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and concluded at Macy’s on 34th Street, attracting large crowds and a national TV audience.
- Cher performed near the parade’s end, coinciding with the release of her first Christmas album and just before Santa Claus’ arrival.
- The event showcased various celebrities and artists, including Jon Batiste, Bell Biv DeVoe, and Brandy, as well as performances from Broadway casts.
- New balloons introduced this year include Leo the lizard from a Netflix film, while traditional favorites like SpongeBob and Snoopy (in a Beagle Scout version) also appeared.
- The parade wasn’t limited to aerial attractions; it featured over two dozen floats, marching bands, and clown crews among 8,000 participants.
- Thousands of spectators, including families from near and far, enjoyed the sunny morning event, with many children excitedly watching the balloons.
- Terri Brown from New Jersey and Ross Greenstein from Michigan shared their personal experiences and excitement about attending the parade.
- This year marked the 97th iteration of the parade, which began in 1924.
- The parade was broadcasted on NBC, hosted by “Today” show personalities Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker.
- President Joe Biden called into the broadcast, expressing gratitude for living in a great nation and calling for a focus on problem-solving and reducing discord.
The Associated Press has the story:
Balloons, bands & Santa: NY Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade ushers in holiday season
Newslooks- NEW YORK (AP)
Beloved characters like Snoopy and SpongeBob SquarePants soared through the skies above New York City Thursday while bands march along the streets below as the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade ushered in the holiday season.
The parade started on Manhattan’s Upper West Side making its way alongside Central Park in front of big crowds and a national television audience before ending in front of Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street.
Among the big names performing is Cher, who just released her first Christmas album. The Oscar-, Emmy- and Grammy Award-winner has a prime spot — performing just before the arrival of Santa Claus, which marks the end of the parade.
Other celebrities and musical groups taking part include Jon Batiste, Bell Biv DeVoe, Brandy, Jessie James Decker, Pentatonix and Miss America 2023 Grace Stanke. The parade also includes performances from the casts of some Broadway shows.
New balloons debuting this year include Leo the lizard, a character from a Netflix film, who is more than 40 feet (12.5 meters) tall, as well as ones that have been there before — like SpongeBob, coming in at 44 feet (13.4 meters).
Some characters, like Snoopy, have been in the parade for many years, but this year’s balloon is a new Beagle Scout Snoopy version — celebrating the 50th anniversary of his first appearance in the Peanuts comics.
The parade isn’t just about what’s going on in the skies, though. At street level, the procession includes more than two dozen floats, interspersed with marching bands from around the country and a number of clown crews among the 8,000 people participating, organizers said.
Thousands lined the streets in coats on a sunny morning. Children were on the shoulders of their parents, shouting as Snoopy and SpongeBob and Leo the Lizard went by.
Terri Brown, her husband and their children, ages 3, 5 and 8, were groggy after the 30-mile (50-kilometer) drive from Westfield, New Jersey. But their faces lit up as the parade started.
“I’ve always wanted to bring them here since I used to come as a kid,” Brown said. “I’m happy it’s good weather.”
Ross Greenstein drove 10 hours from Michigan to catch the parade with his daughter, who is studying law in New York, as well as his wife and two other children. Before Thursday, he had only seen the parade on TV.
“I grew up every Thanksgiving, waking up and jumping on the couch and watching the parade,” Greenstein said. “We came to see the parade for the first time in my life and it feels very surreal.”
This is the 97th time the parade has been held since 1924.
The broadcast is hosted by Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker from “Today” and airs on NBC.
President Joe Biden and his wife Jill called NBC during the parade. The president told Al Roker that people should take a moment to be thankful to live in a country with so much.
“We’re the greatest nation in the world. We should focus on that. We should focus on dealing with our problems and stop the rancor,” Biden said.
