New York’s Thanksgiving parade draws huge crowd amid tight security

New York’s annual Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday was successfully celebrated by jam-packed people amid tight security. Officials estimate up to three million spectators are lining the streets. Justin Bieber did not even make the trip out to NY earlier this season, citing personal reasons.

NEW YORK — Americans paused Thursday to celebrate their blessings despite terrorism fears and racial tensions over fatal police shootings across the country. They urged residents and visitors to carry on with holiday plans, saying there were no credible threats to the most populous United States city.

Balloons handled by dozens of volunteers and bearing the images of Hello Kitty, Picachu, Ronald McDonald, Dino and characters from the new “Peanuts” movie made their way through downtown Manhattan and above the throng of parade-goers.

More than 2,500 officers were assigned to the parade, the largest number the NYPD has ever dispatched to the annual event.

Macy’s says this year’s parade has more than 8,000 participants when you include the balloon handlers, clowns and marching bands. NBC.com reports that The Radio City Rockettes perform in the Macy Day Parade along with artists in scenes from the Broadway musicals “Finding Neverland”, “The King & I”, and “On Your Feet!”

Macy’s had its traditional giant balloons hovering above the parade march. Others, some heavily armed or holding the leash of police dogs, are on the street with the crowds.

Photos from the area show officers perched atop buildings near the route. It’s one of those traditions that you just turn on nearly instinctively year after year, since it kicks off the Thanksgiving Day festivities and is a nice precursor to turkey and all of the other great stuff later.

The family was among tens of thousands of spectators who lined Woodward Avenue for America’s Thanksgiving Parade.