The 98th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is finally here – and it’s time to spread some cheer!

Musical performances and more than six new floats prepare to take over New York City and kick the holiday season into high gear!

This year’s parade will feature 17 character balloons, 22 floats, 15 historical and novelty inflatables, 11 marching bands, more than 700 clowns and 10 musical performance groups.

More than 3.5 million people in New York City and more than 50 million viewers at home typically watch the parade, thanks to the thousands of volunteers who keep the celebration running smoothly.

“Today” show stars Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker will return as hosts.

When is the 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?

Traditionally, the parade takes place on National Day, which this year falls on Thursday, November 28. For the second year in a row, proceedings begin at 8:30 AM and last until 12:00 PM in all time zones, followed by an encore presentation at 2:00 PM ET/PT.

How can I watch the parade and is it available to stream?

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will air on NBC and streamed live on Peacock. Reporting in Spanish will also be available during the Telemundo broadcast with hosts Carlos Adyan and Andrea Meza. Those who subscribe to Hulu Live, Sling TV, DirecTV Stream and YouTube TV can also livestream the festivities on those platforms.

What is the parade route and can I watch it in person?

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade covers 2.5 miles, starting on the Upper West Side and ending at Macy’s Herald Square.

It starts at West 77th Street and Central Park West, continues along Central Park West and passes Columbus Circle before crossing Central Park South to Sixth Avenue and continuing downtown to Herald Square.

Tickets are not required to view the parade in person. However, it is best to avoid viewing on Sixth Avenue between 34th and 38th Streets and on West 34th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, as national television broadcasts restrict viewing there.

It is also recommended to arrive “no later than 6am” for the best spots.

Are there special guests and artists?

“Glow” actress Alison Brie will cut the ribbon to kick off this year’s parade festivities.

Jennifer Hudson, Kylie Minogue, Billy Porter, Loud Luxury, T-Pain, Ariana Madix, Idina Menzel, Jimmy Fallon & the Roots, Dan + Shay, Bishop Briggs, Kylie Cantrall, the Temptations, Charli D’Amelio and more are featured planned performance.

“Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo will appear, as will Jonathan Bennett, Liza Colón-Zayas, Tom Kenny and Ginna Claire Mason.

There will also be performances of Broadway musicals “Death Becomes Her,” “Hell’s Kitchen” and “The Outsiders.” And as always, the Radio City Rockettes will make an appearance.

What’s new this year?

The 7 new floats to look out for include the creepy characters from the Netflix series ‘Wednesday’ from ‘The Addams Family’, the wild residents of the Bronx Zoo, Rao’s ‘Pasta Knight’, Nickelodeon’s ‘Dara’s Fantastical Rainforest’ and Disney Cruise Line the Seas’ ‘Magic Meets’,” Haribo’s “Candy Cosmos” and a “Go Bowling” figure, all of which will make their debut during the 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.