NEW YORK — The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade marched, rose and roared into its second century Thursday despite a driving rain and a brief interruption from pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

New York City police said they arrested 21 people after protesters jumped over barricades and sat on the parade route carrying Palestinian flags and a banner reading “Don’t Celebration Genocide.” They sang “Free, Free Palestine!” as a giant Ronald McDonald balloon descended on them on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan.

People protesting Israel’s war in Gaza also interrupted the parade last year.

Thanks to the wet weather, ponchos and parasols were part of the festivities, alongside the usual giant balloons, floats and star-studded performances.

The latest edition of the annual holiday tradition featured new Spider-Man and Minnie Mouse balloons, zoo and pasta-themed floats, an ode to Big Apple coffee and bagels, performances by Jennifer Hudson, Idina Menzel and Kylie Minogue, and more.

The line-up was a far cry from the first incarnation of the parade 100 years ago, with floats depicting scenes from Mother Goose, Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, Miss Muffet and the Spider, and other fairy tales.

However, some things remained the same. Just like in 1924, there were many brass bands and many clowns, followed by the grand finale of Sinterklaas, which heralded the holidays.

This year’s parade featured 17 giant helium-filled character balloons, 22 floats, 15 novelty and heritage inflatables, 11 marching bands from Texas and South Dakota, 700 clowns, 10 performance groups, award-winning singers and actors, and the WNBA Champion New York Liberty.

Other highlights included reality TV star Ariana Madix, hip-hop’s T-Pain, country duo Dan + Shay, The War and Treaty, The Temptations, Jimmy Fallon & The Roots, Broadway veteran Lea Salonga and “Glow” actor and Macy’s spokesperson Alison Brie.

A new float spotlighted food brand Rao’s, featuring a knight and dragon in battle, made with real pasta elements. Another celebrated the Bronx Zoo’s 125th anniversary with images of a tiger, a giraffe, a zebra and a gorilla.

“The work we do, the opportunity to impact millions of people and bring a few hours of joy on Thanksgiving morning, is what motivates us every day,” said Will Coss, executive producer of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The parade route stretched four miles from Manhattan’s Upper West Side to the Macy’s Herald Square flagship store on 34th Street, which served as the backdrop for a performance.

NBC’s Al Roker walked part of the route before joining co-hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb outside the store for the remainder of the live TV broadcasts. “Wicked” movie star Cynthia Erivo presented the retiring Kotb with flowers to commemorate what could be her final parade broadcast.

The rain didn’t stop anything — the parade was canceled only three times, from 1942 to 1944 during World War II — but organizers kept an eye on wind speeds to make sure the big balloons could fly safely.

The temperature hovered around 10ºC, with rain during the morning and wind speeds around 16 km/h, well within the acceptable range for Snoopy, Bluey and their friends to fly. City law prohibits Macy’s from flying full-size balloons if sustained winds exceed 23 mph (37 km per hour) or if gusts exceed 35 mph (56 km per hour).