Thanksgiving Day Parade Schedule 2024: Date, Start Time, and Broadcast Details
The 2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City starts at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time and runs for approximately 3 hours along a 2.5-mile route from 77th Street and Central Park West to 79th Street and Broadway, ending near Times Square. NBC broadcasts the parade live from 8:30 a.m. to noon Eastern, and Peacock streams the full event live and on demand for subscribers, while NBCNews.com provides a free live stream with limited commercial breaks. NBC's coverage includes pre-show analysis starting at 8 a.m. Eastern, with anchors at the starting line, along the route, and at the finish near Herald Square. The parade is produced by Macy's and NBCUniversal, with corporate sponsors including Amazon Prime Video, Coca-Cola, and Samsung, and it typically draws an estimated 3.5 million in-person spectators and tens of millions of TV viewers. For the latest confirmed broadcast times and streaming options, see NBC's official parade coverage page at NBC Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Route Map, Street Closures, and Viewing Locations
The parade route runs north on Central Park West from 77th Street to 59th Street, then turns east on 59th Street to Sixth Avenue, continues south on Sixth Avenue to 34th Street, and finishes at Herald Square around 34th Street and Broadway. Major cross streets along the route, including Columbus Circle and Herald Square, are closed to vehicle traffic starting around 6 a.m. Eastern, and NYPD and NYC DOT set up barricades, portable toilets, and viewing pens along the sidewalk corridors. Best viewing spots include Central Park West between 60th and 77th Streets, Sixth Avenue between 42nd and 59th Streets, and Herald Square around 34th Street and Broadway, with the latter offering close-up views of the final floats and performances. Spectators are advised to arrive by 6 a.m. Eastern for good standing room, to bring only clear bags per NYC rules, and to check real-time road closure updates on the NYC DOT website at NYC DOT Parade Traffic Updates.
Balloon Inflation Schedule, Performers, and Corporate Participants
Balloon inflation for the Macy's parade begins the evening before at 77th Street and Central Park West, with the public invited starting around 3 p.m. Eastern, and the process typically finishes by 11 p.m. Eastern depending on wind and weather conditions. The 2024 lineup includes returning balloons such as Snoopy, Spider-Man, and the Pillsbury Doughboy, alongside new character balloons and heritage floats sponsored by companies including Macy's, JCPenney, and M&M's. Performers include Broadway casts, marching bands from high schools and colleges across the U.S., dance troupes, and celebrity singers and actors, with NBC listing confirmed acts on its official parade page at Macy's Parade Performers. Corporate participants and floats are led by Macy's as the title sponsor, with major brand activations from Samsung, Coca-Cola, and UPS, and the parade is produced by Macy's in partnership with NBCUniversal and NBC Sports, with additional support from NYC officials and local businesses along the route.