Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for 2020 will be TV-only

(CNN) – If you live in New York City or have been hoping to make it there for Macy’s annual Thanksgiving Parade on Thursday, you’re out of luck. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there won’t be the usual millions on the Manhattan parade route to watch the giant balloons, party floats, and performers.

But take heart: the parade itself will continue. It will simply be staged as an exclusively televised event in 2020. New Yorkers and visitors alike will have to enjoy the parade as the rest of the country has traditionally done – from the comfort and safety of home.

Parry changes

In light of this year’s unprecedented circumstances, Macy’s has partnered with New York City to safely produce this year’s Thanksgiving Parade.

“While the performance may look different, we invite everyone to listen and experience our incredible celebration on TV with our iconic character balloons, dazzling animated floats, whimsical clowns, world class performances and of course the arrival of Santa Claus, who will once again herald the start of the holiday season, ”said Susan Tercero, executive producer of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, in a statement.

The treasured tradition, which many consider a standard part of the holiday, can easily be enjoyed from afar, although Parade aficionados detect a few notable differences.

The 2.5-mile route in Manhattan, for example, has been shortened, with emphasis on the final section of the annual walk.

Viewers can still expect signature balloons like Ronald McDonald and Sinclair’s Dino, floats, and performances, although there are far fewer attendees this year.

And the finish is also intact; The appearance of Santa Claus will be captured on NBC’s national special. Santa will arrive outside Macy’s famous flagship store on 34th Street to kick off the holiday season, as tradition dictates.

Safety first

Participants will be required to wear masks and other personal protective equipment. Additionally, all will be from the tri-state area in accordance with US state restrictions and quarantine rules.

Participants, aged 18 and over, will perform parade tasks taking into account social distancing measures over a three-day period. All will be tested for Covid-19 and will also undergo health checks.

Macy’s says she is working with a nationally recognized medical expert to produce the event.

‘Let’s celebrate together – at home’

Veterans of Macy’s Giant Balloons include Astronaut Snoopy, Elves Hugg, Bjorn, Jojo and Fleck, and Ambassador Pokemon Pikachu.

The oldest float still in use from the parade, Rocking Horse, is back this year. Rocking Horse, handcrafted by longtime Parade creator Manny Bass, will get a makeover this Thanksgiving.

Balloons first appeared in 1927, replacing live animals at the Central Park Zoo. Last year the balloons were almost stranded due to the windy weather conditions.

The show, which last year drew an estimated 22 million viewers for NBC, will also feature several pre-recorded Broadway shows, which have been closed since March, including from “Hamilton,” “Ain’t Too Proud,” “Jagged Little Pill “and” Mean Girls “.

In addition to giant balloons, floats (some as tall as five stories), and musical guests, the parade hosts clowns, balloncicles and street performers, all of which can be enjoyed on the three-hour television special.

Viewers keen to keep the party going can follow the hashtag #MacysParade to see the show’s favorite moments.

CNN’s Eric Levenson and Mirna Alsharif contributed to this story.