Macy's reworking Thanksgiving Day Parade 2020; show will not be live

NEW YORK - With large scale events banned in New York City, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will not go on as in year's past due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A live parade to welcome in the holiday season has been scrapped. Macy's says it is in the process of "reimagining" the event that will be brought to viewers on TV and online in November.

"One of the most beloved events every year is the Thanksgiving Day Parade," Mayor Bill de Blasio said during his pandemic briefing on Monday. "I always want to express my appreciation to everyone at Macy's. They are extraordinarily civically minded. They care about New York City. We saw what they did on July 4th with an amazing fireworks display. They found a way to do it, to celebrate our country and our city and give us hope and they did it safely."

The event will be drastically scaled-down. There won't be a parade along the usual 2.5-mile route down Broadway into Herald Square. The big balloons will have a role but will be anchored to vehicles instead of guided by people.

The high school and college marching bands from around the country, always a big highlight, will have to wait until 2021. Instead, local New York bands and performers will provide music.

A message on the store's website says the parade will be similarly reworked as was the Fourth of July fireworks spectacular. 

A series of smaller fireworks shows took place in each borough over the course of several days leading up to July 4. On Independence Day, Macy's broadcast the shows.

"Next year, I look forward to things coming back in all their glory so we can enjoy things together again," said de Blasio.