Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2015

The parade, in its 89th year, included marching bands and floats to go along with Hello Kitty, Snoopy, Paddington and other giant balloons.

As millions celebrate the holiday with family and friends, more than 8,000 participants – including clowns, balloon handlers and marching bands – will travel through Manhattan to the sound of the iconic catchphrase “Let’s Have a Parade”.

Since 1924, the parade has kicked off the holiday season.

“It’s awesome. I like it. They’re huge”, said one person who watched the balloon inflation. The final turn comes on 34th Street as they’ll end at 7th Avenue in front of Macy’s Herald Square.

The party of around 140 band members, accompanied by around 60 parents, has already left for NY.

“It’s awesome”, she said. “When you have something like this, it’s kind of a feather in the cap to say the least”.

“This is a safe as a place as it’s going to be”.

Though the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will only require the brute strength of one Ram 3500-rated at 31,210 pounds of towing capacity-a host of the truck maker’s 1500 and 2500 pickups will be put to work Thursday along the 2.5-mile parade route. Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said that the NYPD is anticipating record-breaking crowds on Thursday morning, mainly due to the “incredible weather” for tomorrow’s event.

Bratton is so convinced the parade will pass off peacefully that he is flying in his 3- and 5-year-old grandchildren from Los Angeles and intends to watch with them. They’re going to see a Broadway Show, they’re going to have a leadership training seminar because these kids are all leaders in their groups.

The parade will also see numerous Marching Bands take part, with bands coming to New York City all the way from the likes of MI and Florida to take part in the festivities. Authorities and security forces will be on high alert around the time of Thanksgiving, a spokesman for the Port Authority of NY and New Jersey said.

Parade watchers will also get to experience the retro soul-style of Andra Day, and hear and the viral sensation turned chart-topper Shawn Mendes.

“We live in a society of being fearful”, said spectator Jacqueline Williams, 52, of Atlanta, who was viewing the parade for the first time.