Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Returns, With All the Trimmings – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was hit by the coronavirus pandemic last year and made a full return on Thursday, albeit with precautionary measures.

Balloons, floats, marching bands, clowns, and performers – and of course Santa Claus – whirled once again through the 2 1/2 mile long streets of Manhattan instead of being confined to one block or sometimes out of bounds last year.

Spectators who were closed in 2020 lined the route again. High school and college marching bands from across the country were invited back to the cast; Most of the artists last year were there to reduce travel. The giant balloons that were tied to vehicles last year got their costumed handlers back.

For President Joe Biden, the full return of the parade was a sign of renewal, and he called on NBC’s Al Roker to say so.

“We’re back after two years. America is back. There’s nothing we can’t overcome, ”Biden said on the phone from Nantucket, Massachusetts, where he was watching the program with his family.

The Thanksgiving Parade is the latest U.S. holiday event to make a comeback as vaccines, familiarity, and sheer frustration made officials and some of the public more familiar with large gatherings amid the ongoing pandemic.

Nevertheless, the security measures continued. Parade workers and volunteers had to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and wear masks, although some singers and performers were allowed to take them off. There was no compulsory vaccination for spectators, but Macy’s and the city encouraged them to cover their faces. A popular pre-parade spectacle – inflating the giant balloons – was restricted to vaccinated spectators.

The Thanksgiving event also came days after an SUV driver plowed through a Christmas parade in suburban Milwaukee, killing six people and injuring over 60. Authorities said the driver, who was charged with willful homicide, sped away from police after a domestic argument.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday there was no credible, specific threat to the Thanksgiving Parade, but New York Police Department security measures would be extensive as usual.

“I am very confident of what the NYPD has prepared to protect everyone,” he said.

The return of the Great Thanksgiving Parade in New York City draws the crowds back with the help of performances by Foreigner, the Rockettes, and even an appearance by Michelle Obama. This is what Checkey Beckford reports from NBC New York.

Thousands of police officers were assigned to the parade route from streets to roofs. Cars were blocked off the parade route with sand-filled garbage trucks, other heavy vehicles, and approximately 360,000 pounds (163,000 kilograms) of concrete barriers.

Bomb detection dogs, bomb squad officers, heavy weapons teams, radiation and chemical sensors, and over 300 additional cameras were also deployed on the parade route, said Martine Materasso, chief of terrorism for the NYPD.

Inside the barricades, the parade consists of about 8,000 participants, four dozen balloons of various sizes, and two dozen floats.

The new balloon giants include the title character from the Netflix series “Ada Twist, Scientist”; the Pokémon characters Pikachu and Eevee on a sled (Pikachu has already appeared in a different form) and Grogu, aka “Baby Yoda”, from the TV show “The Mandalorian”. NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service to the Louisiana Office of Tourism.

Entertainers and celebrities include Carrie Underwood, Jon Batiste, Nelly, Kelly Rowland, Miss America Camille Schrier, the band Foreigner and many others. Several Broadway musicals and the Radio City Rockettes will also perform.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade began in 1924 as an event hosted by Macy’s staff. It has come a long way since then. NBCLX looks back on the history of the iconic holiday spectacle and how it was shaped as our country changed. (By NBCLX contributor Michelle Park and producer Mackenzie Behm) Watch a special balloon inflation event LIVE on NBCLX on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. ET.

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Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Returns, With All the Trimmings