How to Watch the 2020 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - Your All-Inclusive Guide!
The parade will be different this year and we're laying out how.
By: Nicole Rosky Nov. 26, 2020
While many prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving differently this year, so does The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, one of the nation's most cherished holiday traditions.
"Macy's believes in celebration and the joy of marking milestone moments with family and friends. For nearly 100 years, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has been synonymous with the official start of the holiday season in the United States. Under the unique challenges of these unparalleled times, we felt it was important to continue this cherished American tradition that has been the opening act to the holiday season for generations of families."
We've got the full scoop on what to watch for, when to look for it, and how!
WHAT IS THE MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE?
For more than nine decades, the magic of the holiday season has kicked off with the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. This year, the parade passes by for the 94th time, featuring its signature mix of whimsical elements and dazzling performances.
Established in 1924, the parade has been canceled only three times (1942, 1943 and 1944) since its inception. In normal years, the event draws roughly 3.5 million spectators on the streets of New York City and over 50 million more who tune in nationwide. For so many Americans, watching the parade, from near or far, is just as much a Thanksgiving tradition as turkey and mashed potatoes.
HOW IS THE PARADE DIFFERENT IN 2020?
Safety is a priority for the parade in 2020 and Macy's has been working closely with the City and State of New York to keep the tradition alive. And official statement reads:
"In order to avoid gathering large crowds, the annual production will forgo marching down the traditional 2.5-mile route in Manhattan. Instead it will be reimagined over the course of several days as a television-only event leading up to the live Thanksgiving Day broadcast that will feature the breadth of Macy's signature elements. On Thanksgiving Day, we will showcase our annual celebration's signature balloons, floats, performances and herald the arrival of Santa Claus, in front of Macy's famed flagship store on 34th Street for our national television special on NBC and Telemundo."
WHAT ARE THE SAFETY MEASURES FOR THE PARADE IN 2020?
Macy's has published a full list of safety precautions that are in place for this year's event:
-The traditional 2.5-mile Parade route will not be utilized this year, the only way to view the celebration is on television.
-All participants, staff and performers will be tested for COVID-19 and undergo wellness checks prior to their Parade participation.
-All participants will be appropriately socially distanced during staging and performances, and required to wear face coverings; additional personal protective protocols will be implemented based on the participant's role.
-The overall number of participants have now been reduced by approximately 88%, and split over three days.
-No participant in the Parade is under 18 years of age.
-The majority of Parade participants hail from the New York tri-state area.
-Previously selected regional High School and College Marching Band performances were deferred to the 2021 Macy's Parade, with locally based cultural and professional marching and musical ensembles taking over performance duties in the lineup.
-A minute selection of elements will be showcased on television from previous Parade appearances.
-A selection of Macy's signature giant character balloons will be flown without the traditional 80-100 handlers and instead employ an innovative, specially rigged anchor vehicle framework of five specialty vehicles tested and approved by the NYC Department of Transportation and the NYPD.
-Macy's traditional Giant Balloon Inflation public event in New York City, the evening before Thanksgiving, will not take place.
Read a full list of safety precautions.
WHO WILL PERFORM AT THE PARADE?
Joining the festivities will be Lauren Alaina, Ally Brooke, Sofia Carson, CNCO, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots (opening the show), Karol G, Tori Kelly, Patti LaBelle, Miss America 2020 Camille Schrier, Matthew Morrison, the cast and Muppets of Sesame Street®, Leslie Odom Jr., Keke Palmer, Dolly Parton (on behalf of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store®), Pentatonix, Bebe Rexha, Jordin Sparks, Sebastián Yatra, and Brett Young; with an extra special appearance by the one-and-only Santa Claus.
Returning for a fourth year by popular demand, a special presentation of the Macy's Singing Christmas Tree will feature the harmonious voices of 60 Macy's colleagues who will join us from their homes across the country coming together in a golden-voiced chorus filled with the spirit of the holiday season.
The best of Broadway will once again be featured in NBC's broadcast of Macy's Parade with performances from the casts of Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations, Hamilton, Jagged Little Pill, and Mean Girls. In addition, the show-stopping Radio City Rockettes will bring their signature magic to Herald Square.
According to TimeOut NY, the musical numbers will include "Someone Gets Hurt," (performed by Renee Rapp), "The Schuyler Sisters" (featuring Joshua Henry, Jennie Harney, Krystal Joy Brown and Alysha Deslorieux), "You Learn," (featuring Elizabeth Stanley, Celia Rose Gooding, Derek Klena, Sean Allan Krill, Lauren Patten and Kathryn Gallagher), and a Temptations medley (featuring Nik Walker, James Harkness, Jawan M. Jackson, Matt Manuel and Jelani Remy).
The CBS Broadcast will feature performances from the casts of Dear Evan Hansen, who will perform "You Will Be Found" and Come From Away, who will perform "38 Planes" and "Somewhere in the Middle of Nowhere."
WHEN IS THE PARADE?
The parade officially begins its march at 9am and will conclude on at 12pm in all timezones on NBC. On CBS, broadcasts will air 9:00am-12:00pm live ET; 8:00-11:00am live CT; 7:00-10:00am live MT; and 1:00pm-4:00pm delayed PT.
HOW CAN YOU WATCH THE PARADE?
Reinvented to safely keep spectators in New York City at home and families nationwide glued to their televisions, America's premiere Thanksgiving holiday celebration will air on NBC and Telemundo. The TODAY Show's Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker will host the live three-hour telecast for NBC, with the Spanish language simulcast on Telemundo hosted by Adamari López, Jessica Carrillo, Rodner Figueroa and Nastassja Bolivar.
The CBS Thanksgiving Day Celebration will be hosted by Entertainment Tonight's Kevin Frazier and Keltie Knight on CBS and CBS All Access.
For the fifth consecutive year, NBCUniversal and Verizon, are partnering on Verizon Live: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade which will be streamed on YouTube.com/Verizon, Twitter @Verizon and select Verizon Media properties, including Yahoo.
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