NEW YORK – Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade takes place today in New York City Iconic balloons, floats and artists march through Manhattan.

Here you can find out everything about when it starts, where you can see it and what’s new in the program this year.

When is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?

The parade begins at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 28th – the fourth Thursday in November. It is expected to last 3.5 hours and end around midday.

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

In case 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 begin their Thanksgiving traditions with the parade. While many watch from the comfort of their own homes, others flock to Manhattan to see all the action in person.

Spectators were allowed to line up along Central Park West as early as 6 a.m. between West 75th and 61st streets.

Once the parade heads south onto Sixth Avenue, the best viewing spots are 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. At the end of the park it turns onto Central Park South and then over to Sixth Avenue.

The route extends approximately 2.5 miles south to reach the Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square on West 34th Street.

The parade passes by on the way Radio City Music Hall And Rockefeller Centerthen through the Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park.

Balloons at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

This year’s lineup contains 22 balloons, including six new characters: 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 be some too 34 swimmers28 clown crews, 11 brass bands, 11 performance groups and seven “balloon chalices”. They are joined by 28 artists, including WNBA champion New York Liberty and their beloved mascot Ellie the elephant.

The full list 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.

Take public transportation to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The MTA encourages spectators to ride the subway using Station 1/2/3 at 72nd Street, Station 1 at 79th Street, or Station A/B/C/D at Columbus Circle. The agency says the 1 train and 42nd Street shuttle will provide additional service, 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 Sundays.

The Long Island Rail Road now operates on a holiday/weekend schedule, with 15 additional trains on the Babylon, Ronkonkoma/Farmingdale and Huntington routes. Metro-North Railroad also operates a holiday schedule with 11 additional trains on the Hudson, Harlem, New Haven and Port Jervis lines.

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

Road closures for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Whether you’re traveling to the parade or just out and about, drivers should prepare for several street closures in Manhattan.

The NYPD says the following streets will be closed Thursday:

Education:

• Columbus Avenue between 72nd Street and 83rd Street
• Central Park West between 81st and 86th Streets
• 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/59. Street
• Columbus Circle (Entire 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

Dissipation:

• 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 and 34th Streets
• Broadway between Columbus Circle and 58th Street
• 8th Avenue between Columbus Circle and 58th Street
• Grand Army Plaza between 59th Street and 5th Avenue

More information about Gridlock Alert Days for the holidays can be found here.

Cleaning up after the parade

The New York City Department of Sanitation joked that there would be “no leftovers” after the parade. 147 cleaners and 23 officials with 32 hand brooms, 29 mechanical brooms, 23 backpack blowers and 23 collection trucks are on duty to clean up after the celebrations.

Last year, cleanup crews said they removed more than 65 tons of debris.