Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: What to Expect From This Year's Annual Event

Stephanie Downs

11/25/2020 12:37 am EST

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will indeed take place this year despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Although, this year's parade will be remarkably different from those of years past. Due to the current health crisis, those behind the parade have made sure to implement various changes so that Americans across the country can still enjoy the annual event from the comfort of their homes.

New York City mayor Bill de Blasio previously shared in September that this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will be a bit different because of the pandemic, but that it would still take place. He said during one of his daily briefings that even though this year's parade will be different, it would still "really give us that warmth and that great feeling we have on Thanksgiving Day." The mayor assured everyone that they would still be able to "feel the spirit and the joy of that day on television." As Thanksgiving Day is fast approaching, even more details have been revealed about the revamped 2020-edition of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

While there will be some major changes, rest assured that the parade will still feature all of your favorite parts about the event, including the floats, balloons, and the performers. Read on to find out exactly what to expect from this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Major Changes

Ahead of the parade, Macy's released a statement in which they acknowledged that they would have to work around the COVID-19 pandemic to make this year's parade happen. But, given that they were able to put on their annual fireworks display this past July, they're up to the task. "For more than 90 years, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has kicked off the holiday season with its signature entertainment spectacle, making it one of the world's most beloved events," the statement read. "Following our successful, safe and innovative production of Macy's 4th of July Fireworks, it is our intention to similarly reimagine Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this November. Stay tuned for more details later this fall."

No Crowd

One of the most notable differences about this year's event is that there will be no crowd. In order to prevent people from gathering close together, Macy's decided to forego its traditional parade down Manhattan. Instead, this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will be a television only event.

Performances

(Photo: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

You can't have the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade without a major dose of entertainment. As they have done in years past, Macy's has tapped a number of individuals to perform during the parade. The long list includes Dolly Parton, Jordin Sparks, Lauren Alaina, and a number of performances from Broadway musicals such as Mean Girls and Jagged Little Pill. All of the performers will reportedly undergo COVID-19 testing and will take part in wellness checks before the big day.

Celebrity Cameos

Celebrities have frequently made appearances during past parades, and this year will be no different. According to Today, the parade will even get started with a little help from a very popular late-night television host. Jimmy Fallon will reportedly open the parade alongside the Roots, and they'll undoubtedly start the event off with a bang.

The Balloons

(Photo: Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Of course, you can still expect appearances from all of your favorite characters in the form of balloons. Once again, Pikachu will float on by during the parade, and the Pokémon Company even hinted that this year's balloon will offer a major surprise for fans. As of right now, there's only speculation as to what that surprise might be. But, a press release from the company stated that "a troupe of dancing Pikachu [that] will deliver an electrifying performance... Pokémon fans will want to tune in to find out why they're making a special appearance this year."

The Hosts

You can still count on the Today team to tackle the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. This year's event will be co-hosted by Today anchors Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb. The duo will deliver all of the commentary that you'll need in order to follow along with the exciting action.

How To Watch

(Photo: Photo Credit: Gotham/GC Images/Getty Images)

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will air on Thursday, Nov. 26 from 9 a.m. ET to 12 p.m. ET. There will also be an encore presentation of the event that will air later in the day from 2 p.m. ET to 5 p.m. ET. Today noted that Macy's, NBCUniversal, and Verizon will be providing a live stream of the events, which viewers can access via Verizon's Twitter feed or on YouTube.

Disclosure: PopCulture. is owned by Paramount. Sign up for Paramount+ by clicking here.