Macy’s is Reinventing the Thanksgiving Day Parade for 2020

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has been an ongoing tradition for over 90 years in New York City! Covid has struck once again, and the plans must change to keep everyone safe. They’re still holding an event, but it will look much different! The mayor of NYC posted the following message on Twitter:

The #MacysParade is a New York City staple.

For decades we’ve celebrated the holiday season with viewers worldwide, and this year will be no different!

Working closely with @Macys, we’ve planned a safe and creative event worthy of this holiday tradition. pic.twitter.com/ap0Rm3cC4I

— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) September 14, 2020

What will the “safe and creative event” look like? According to several news sources, the event will not be much of a parade at all. Rather a stationary event, with no crowds gathering on the streets of NYC, for viewers to watch from the comfort and safety of their homes.

CNN reported that “this year’s parade will still have the giant balloons, colorful floats and, of course, Santa Claus, but it will “shift to a television-only special presentation. The parade will still air across the country on NBC on Thanksgiving morning. It will forgo the traditional 2.5-mile route and reduce by 75% the number of parade participants, who will be socially distanced during performances and required to wear face coverings.”

There are some other precautions they’re taking. All parade participants must be 18 or older, the street performers will be local to NYC, and the normal 80 to 100 balloon handlers that normally walk the balloons throughout the city will be replaced by specialty vehicles. See everything about the updated traditional event here!

Explore the parade’s history here!

Cover Photo Image Credit: Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Associated Press