Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is officially a day away from debuting a new route along with new balloons.
"The 86th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will again make history as it debuts three impressive giant balloons, six over-the-top floats, an amazing array of talent and the most remarkable high school and college marching bands in the nation," said Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Executive Producer Amy Kule.
The parade marks among one of the first major events to take place on the island of Manhattan following Hurricane Sandy.
Kule added, "And, as it has during turbulent times in our history, we hope the Macy's Parade serves as a beacon of hope for all who tune in and gather with friends and family to give thanks this season, as they continue to heal from the devastating aftermath of super-storm Sandy. During its 86th year, the parade continues to create new memories and magical moments for more than three million live spectators and over 50 million who tune in across the country."
The parade will take a new route. It will start at the traditional 77th Street and down Central Park West. The parade route will then shift east on 59th Street until the new route of Sixth Avenue where it will head south for the final time. The final route of the parade will take place on 34th Street as the parade ends outside the Macy's on Herald Square.
Organizers do note that no public viewing or press access will be available on Sixth Avenue between 34th and 38th Street as well as 34th Street between Broadway and Seventh Avenue.
Performances currently lined up, but are subject to change, include Carly Rae Jepson, Chris Isaak, Cody Simpson, Don McLean, Flo Rida, Jennette McCurdy, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots, Karmin, Neon Trees, and The Wanted.
Other celebrities set to appear include NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Trace Adkins, Colbie Caillat, Rachel Crow, Whoopi Goldberg, Sandra Lee, the Muppets, the cast of Sesame Street, US Olympic Gold Medalists Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, Jordyn Weiber, Kyla Ross, and McKayla Maroney, to name a few.
The parade lineup also includes 16 giant character balloons which will feature the debuting Elf on the Shelf, Hello Kitty with her airplane, and Papa Smurf. The returning balloons include Buzz Lightyear, Charlie Brown, Pikachu, Spiderman, and Spongebob SquarePants, to name a few.
Last year, the parade averaged 22.4 million viewers, making it the first among entertainment telecasts on the week against ABC, CBS, and FOX.
The parade will broadcast on NBC from 9 a.m. to noon across all US time zones. A rebroadcast is set from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. EST.
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