The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade kicked off Thursday morning in New York City with a steady rain that added ponchos and umbrellas to the lineup of balloons, floats and star-studded performances.
The annual holiday tradition features 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, Kylie Minogue and others.
The lineup is a far cry from the parade’s initial incarnation a century ago, which featured floats showing scenes from Mother Goose, Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, Miss Muffet and the Spider, and other fairy tales and nursery rhymes.
Some things remain the same, though. As in 1924, there are plenty of marching bands and lots of clowns, followed by the grand finale of Santa Claus riding through Manhattan and ushering in the holiday season.
This year's parade features 17 giant, helium-filled character balloons, 22 floats, 15 novelty and heritage inflatables, 11 marching bands, 700 clowns, 10 performance groups, award-winning singers and actors, and the WNBA champion New York Liberty.
In photos: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Other highlights include reality TV star Ariana Madix, hip-hop’s T-Pain, country duo Dan + Shay, The War and Treaty, The Temptations, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots, Broadway veteran Lea Salonga, and “Glow” actor and Macy's spokesperson Alison Brie.
One new float spotlights the Rao’s food brand, featuring a knight and a dragon in battle made with actual pasta elements. Another celebrates the Bronx Zoo’s 125th anniversary with representations of a tiger, a giraffe, a zebra and a gorilla.
“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 began at 8:30 a.m. on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and ends 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) away around noon at Macy’s Herald Square flagship store on 34th Street, which serves as a stage and backdrop for performances.
The rain isn't stopping anything — the parade has been canceled only three times, from 1942 to 1944 during World War II — but organizers are monitoring wind speeds throughout the festivities to make sure it’s safe for the big balloons to fly.
The parade airs on NBC with hosts Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker and streams on the network's Peacock service. Carlos Adyan and Andrea Meza will host a Spanish simulcast on Telemundo.