UPPER WEST SIDE, Manhattan (WABC) — Thanksgiving is just days away, which means a beloved holiday tradition returns Wednesday: the annual balloon inflation leading up to the 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The event will take place outside the American Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The public is invited to watch the balloons come to life before making their way through the streets of Manhattan, while the rest of the country watches live on television.

Spectators wishing to see the balloons must enter the viewing area at West 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue. The path winds around the museum before the exit at West 81st Street and Central Park West.

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There will be six new character balloons this year, including Minnie Mouse, Marshall from ‘Paw Patrol’, Extraordinary Noorah with The Elf on the Shelf, Gabby from ‘Gabby’s Dollhouse’, Goku from ‘Dragon Ball’ and Spider-Man.

The list of street closures can be found here. Visitors are strongly encouraged to use public transport.

Officials estimate it will take at least 45 minutes to complete the loop and see all the balloons.

For families with young children, strollers are not prohibited, but they can be difficult to push along the path through crowds, so they are not recommended.

The audience is screened before entering the viewing path. Bags or backpacks larger than 12x6x12, coolers, alcoholic beverages, chairs, weapons, drones, pets and umbrellas are not permitted.

The 98th annual parade will depart the Upper West Side at 8:30 a.m. and continue along a two-and-a-half-mile route to Herald Square. The parade is expected to attract 2,000,000 spectators and 10,000 participants.

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