Name: Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: Giant Balloons, Floats, and Wet Weather
Uploaded: 2024-11-29T15:07:12.000Z
Description: NEW YORK—The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade marched, soared and roared into its second century on Thursday despite a drenching rain and a brief disruption from pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

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NEW YORK—The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade marched, soared and roared into its second century on Thursday despite a drenching rain and a brief disruption from pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

New York City police said they arrested 21 people after protesters jumped barricades and sat down on the parade route with Palestinian flags and a “Don't Celebrate Genocide” banner. They chanted “Free, free Palestine!” as a giant Ronald McDonald balloon bore down on them on Manhattan's Sixth Avenue.

The Ronald McDonald balloon floats down the street during the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York on Nov. 28, 2024. (David Dee Delgado/AFP via Getty Images)

People protesting Israel's war in Gaza also interrupted last year’s parade.

Thanks to the wet weather, ponchos and umbrellas were part of the festivities, along with the usual giant balloons, floats and star-studded performances.

The latest edition of the annual holiday tradition featured new Spider-Man and Minnie Mouse balloons, zoo and pasta-themed floats, an ode to Big Apple coffee and bagels, performances from Jennifer Hudson, Idina Menzel and Kylie Minogue, and more.

A balloon of Minnie Mouse during the 2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York on Nov. 28, 2024. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

The Goku, from Dragon Ball, balloon floats during the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York on Nov. 28, 2024. (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)

The Monkey D. Luffy balloon floats during the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York on Nov. 28, 2024. (Kena Betancur/Getty Images)

The lineup was a far cry from the parade’s initial incarnation 100 years ago, which featured floats showing scenes from Mother Goose, Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, Miss Muffet and the Spider, and other fairy tales.

Some things remained the same, though. As in 1924, there were plenty of marching bands and lots of clowns, followed by the grand finale of Santa Claus ushering in the holiday season.

This year's parade featured 17 giant, helium-filled character balloons, 22 floats, 15 novelty and heritage inflatables, 11 marching bands from as far away as Texas and South Dakota, 700 clowns, 10 performance groups, award-winning singers and actors, and the WNBA champion New York Liberty.

Other highlights included reality TV star Ariana Madix, hip-hop’s T-Pain, country duo Dan + Shay, The War and Treaty, The Temptations, Jimmy Fallon & The Roots, Broadway veteran Lea Salonga, and “Glow” actor and Macy's spokesperson Alison Brie.

One new float spotlighted the Rao’s food brand, featuring a knight and a dragon in battle made with actual pasta elements. Another celebrated the Bronx Zoo’s 125th anniversary with representations of a tiger, a giraffe, a zebra and a gorilla.

The SpongeBob balloon during the 2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York on Nov. 28, 2024. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

The Bluey balloon during the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York on Nov. 28, 2024. (Kena Betancur/Getty Images)

The Kung Fu Panda balloon floats past Radio City Music Hall during the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York on Nov. 28, 2024. (Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images)

Natti Natasha participates in the 2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York on Nov. 28, 2024. (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

“The work that we do, the opportunity to impact millions of people and bring a bit of joy for a couple of hours on Thanksgiving morning, is what motivates us every day,” said Will Coss, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade executive producer.

The parade route stretched 2.5 miles from Manhattan’s Upper West Side to Macy’s Herald Square flagship store on 34th Street, which served as a performance backdrop.

NBC’s Al Roker walked part of the route before joining co-hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb outside the store for the remainder of the live TV coverage. "Wicked" film star Cynthia Erivo presented the retiring Kotb with flowers to commemorate what could be her last parade broadcast.

The rain didn't stop anything—the parade has only been canceled three times, from 1942 to 1944 during World War II—but organizers monitored wind speeds to make sure the big balloons were safe to fly.

Temperatures hovered near 50ºF, with rain throughout the morning and winds around 10 mph, well within the acceptable range for letting Snoopy, Bluey and their friends soar. City law prohibits Macy’s from flying full-size balloons if sustained winds exceed 23 mph or wind gusts are over 35 mph.

<em>Watch NTD's special live coverage of the Thanksgiving Day Parade <a href="https://www.ntd.com/ntds-thanksgiving-day-celebration-2024_1030597.html">here</a>.</em>

Revelers react as the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade kicks off in New York on Nov. 28, 2024. (Kena Betancur/Getty Images)

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