NEW YORK– Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade takes off today in New York City, as the iconic balloons, floats and performers march through Manhattan.

Here’s everything you need to know about when it starts, where to watch it and what’s new in this year’s line-up.

What time is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?

The parade starts at 8:30 am on Thursday, November 28 – the fourth Thursday in November. It is expected to last 3.5 hours and end around noon.

The parade was last year briefly interrupted by pro-Palestinian demonstrators who was lying on the street. The parade revolved around the demonstrators and continued.

In case you missed it, check it out last night’s balloon inflation party when the classic characters came to life.

How to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Families across the country begin their Thanksgiving traditions by turning on the parade. While many watch from the comfort of their homes, others head to Manhattan to see all the action in person.

Spectators were allowed to line up between West 75th and 61st Streets along Central Park West as early as 6 a.m.

Once the parade heads south to Sixth Avenue, the best viewing spots are from West 59th to 38th Street.

Map of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade route

The parade starts at West 77th Street and Central Park West on the Upper West Side. At the bottom of the park the road turns to Central Park South and then to Sixth Avenue.

The route extends approximately 2.5 miles south to reach the Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square on West 34th Street.

The parade marches past along the way Radio City Music Hall And Rockefeller Centerthen through the Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park.

Balloons during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

This year’s line-up contains 22 balloons, including six new characters: Disney’s Minnie Mouse, Extraordinary Noorah & Elf on the Shelf, Gabby from “Gabby’s Dollhouse”, Goku from “Dragon Ball”, Marshall from “PAW Patrol” and Spider-Man, who makes his return after more than a decade.

That will be the case 34 floats28 clown crews, 11 brass bands, 11 performance groups and seven ‘balloons’. They are accompanied by 28 artists, including the WNBA champion New York Liberty and their beloved mascot Ellie the Elephant.

The full list also includes: Alex Warren, Ariana Madix, Bishop Briggs, Charli D’Amelio, Chlöe, Coco Jones, Dan + Shay, Dasha, Idina Menzel, Jimmy Fallon & The Roots, Joey McIntyre, Kylie Cantrall, Lea Salonga, Liza Colón-Zayas, Natti Natasha, Rachel Platten, Roman Mejia, Sebastián Yatra, The Temptations, Tiler Peck, T-Pain, Walker Hayes and The War and the Treaty.

And of course the parade ends with a visit from a certain Mr. Claus.

Take public transportation to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The MTA encourages spectators to ride the subway via Station 1/2/3 at 72nd Street, Station 1 at 79th Street or Station A/B/C/D at Columbus Circle. According to the agency, the 1 train and the 42nd Street shuttle will run additional services, while the A/C/D trains will bypass the 81st Street-Museum of Natural History station.

Throughout the city, all subways and buses run on a Sunday schedule.

Meanwhile, the Long Island Rail Road will operate on a holiday/weekend schedule, with 15 additional trains added at the Babylon, Ronkonkoma/Farmingdale and Huntington branches. Metro-North Railroad also operates a holiday schedule, with 11 additional trains on the Hudson, Harlem, New Haven and Port Jervis lines.

The MTA says other service changes will be in effect for Black Friday and the holiday weekend.

Road closures for Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Whether traveling to the parade or just driving around, drivers should prepare for several road closures in Manhattan.

The NYPD says the following streets will be closed Thursday:

Formation:

• Columbus Avenue between 72nd Street and 83rd Street
• Central Park West between 81st Street and 86th Street
• 83rd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• 82nd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• 81st Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• 77th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• 76th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• 75th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• 74th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• 72nd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• 71st Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• 68th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
• 62nd Street between Central Park West and Broadway
• 61st Street between Central Park West and Broadway
• 59th Street between 6th Avenue and 5th Avenue

Route:

• Central Park West between 81st Street and East Side of Columbus Circle/59th Street
• Columbus Circle (entire circle)
• 59th Street between Columbus Circle and 6th Avenue
• 6th Avenue between 59th Street and 34th Street
• 34th Street between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue

Distribution:

• 33rd Street between 5th Avenue and 10th Avenue
• 34th Street between 7th Avenue and 8th Avenue
• 34th Street between 6th Avenue and 5th Avenue
• 35th Street between 5th Avenue and 8th Avenue
• 36th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue
• 37th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue
• 38th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue
• 39th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue
• 40th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue
• 41st Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue
• 7th Avenue between 31st Street and 41st Street
• Broadway between 45th Street and 34th Street

Mixed:

• 58th Street between 9th Avenue and 5th Avenue
• 43rd Street between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue
• 40th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue
• 39th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue
• 38th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue
• 37th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue
• 36th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue
• 32nd Street between Broadway and 7th Avenue
• 6th Avenue between 32nd Street and 34th Street
• 8th Avenue between 41st Street and 33rd Street
• Broadway between 32nd Street and 34th Street
• Broadway between Columbus Circle and 58th Street
• 8th Avenue between Columbus Circle and 58th Street
• Grand Army Plaza between 59th Street and 5th Avenue

More information about Gridlock Alert Days for the holidays can be found here.

Cleaning up after the parade

New York City’s Department of Sanitation joked that there will be “no leftovers” after the parade. 147 sanitation workers and 23 officers are deployed using 32 hand brooms, 29 mechanical brooms, 23 backpack blowers and 23 collection vehicles to help clean up after the festivities.

Last year, cleanup crews said they removed more than 65 tons of debris.