Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2020 Will Not Be Live Event, De Blasio Says

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, as fans have come to know it, has been formally canceled for 2020, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. New York City mayor Bill de Blasio made the announcement on Monday, saying that instead of a live event, the team behind the parade is working on something unique. “It will not be the same parade we’re used to, it will be a different kind of event,” de Blasio said during his daily briefing, per WCBS.

The NYC mayor added, “They’re reinventing the event for this moment in history and you will be able to feel the spirit and the joy of that day on television, online, not a live parade but something that will really give us that warmth and that great feeling we have on Thanksgiving Day.” In a statement on its website, Macy’s also addressed the live parade cancellation. “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.”

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is not the only big New York City holiday event to be canceled due to COVID-19 concerns, as the Rockettes’ Radio City Christmas Spectacular has also been postponed this year. In a statement, MSG Entertainment — the owner of New York City’s Radio City Music Hall — said, “We regret that the 2020 production of the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes presented by Chase has been canceled due to continued uncertainty associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The company added, “We are disappointed for everyone involved with the show, as well as for the many fans who make the Christmas Spectacular a cherished part of their holiday tradition. We look forward to welcoming audiences back for the 2021 production, which is on sale now. All tickets for the 2020 production will be automatically refunded at the point of purchase.” This marks the first time in almost 90 years that the Rockettes will not take the stage at Radio City Music Hall.