For many, it’s an annual Thanksgiving Day tradition to wake up, brew some coffee, get comfortable and enjoy the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The parade, one of the largest in the world, began in 1924 in New York City and has been held every year except 1942, 1943 and 1944 because of World War II, according to Macy’s.
It begins on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and makes its way to Macy’s flagship store at Herald Square this year, featuring 32 balloons, three balloonicles, 27 floats, four specialty units, 33 clown groups, 11 marching bands, performance groups and musical stars.
If the parade is a Thanksgiving tradition for you and your loved ones, here’s what to know about who is performing, when it airs and how to watch in Binghamton.
What time does the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade start?
The parade begins at 8:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, Nov. 27.
How to watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade
You can catch the parade live on NBC starting at 8:30 a.m. You can also stream it on Peacock and Fubo with a subscription. NBC will also host an encore at 2 p.m.
Subscribe to Peacock to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade
If you are a cable user in the Binghamton area, you can catch the live broadcast on NBC Channel 5.
Peacock offers multiple parade views on Thanksgiving
Three different camera angles will be presented in Multiview on Peacock, allowing viewers to immerse themselves in all the day’s festivities:
Traditional Programming (primary view): The Parade, as fans know and love it, will feature commentary from NBC hosts, live performances, and more.
Float View: Ride aboard the classic Tom the Turkey float through the streets of Manhattan and truly feel like a part of the Parade.
High-Rise View: Get a bird’s eye view of all the excitement from high above the parade route.
For blind and visually impaired viewers, the full NBC broadcast will be presented with live audio description on the Secondary Audio Program channel (SAP), provided by Descriptive Video Works, according to Macy’s.
How long is the parade?
The parade will run 3½ hours, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, a parade spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY.
Local act to look out for
While watching the parade, be sure to keep an eye out for a team from the Armstrong School of Dance in Ithaca.
The 22-member team has a standing invitation and they dance in the parade every three years. This time, it’ll be their seventh year at the state’s biggest Thanksgiving celebration.
The team will be a part of a group of 600 dancers during their performance. To see them live, be sure to tune in between 10:45 a.m. and noon.
Who will perform at the 2025 Thanksgiving Day Parade?
The following stars are listed to perform this year:
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This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: How to watch Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on NY cable, streaming
Reporting by Jillian McCarthy and Saman Shafiq, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin / Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
