Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2024: Street closures, route, more

Sneak peek: Macy’s Parade adds new floats

Every year on Thanksgiving, millions of people around the country tune in to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. While viewers can expect the return of many of their favorite balloons and floats, there will also be some new ones joining the pack. FOX 5 NY's Kendall Green has a sneak peek of those additions.

NEW YORK CITY - The 98th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will take place this year on Nov. 28.

JUMP TO: START TIME | STREET CLOSURES | PARADE ROUTE | BEST SPOTS TO WATCH

This year’s parade will feature:

17 giant character balloons
22 floats
15 novelty and heritage inflatables
11 marching bands
700 clowns
10 performance groups.

People participate in Macys annual Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 23, 2023 in New York City. Thousands of people lined the streets to watch the 25 balloons and hundreds of performers march in this parade happening since 1924. (Photo by Stephanie

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Here's what you need to know about this year's parade, including a list of street closures, the parade route and best spots to watch.

What time does the parade start?

This year's parade will begin at 8:30 a.m.

Street closures

The following streets will be closed for this year's parade:

Formation:

Columbus Avenue between 72nd Street and 83rd Street
Central Park West between 81st Street and 86th Street
83rd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
82nd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
81st Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
77th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
76th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
75th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
74th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
72nd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
71st Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
68th Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue
62nd Street between Central Park West and Broadway
61st Street between Central Park West and Broadway
59th Street between 6th Avenue and 5th Avenue

Route:

Central Park West between 81st Street and East Side of Columbus Circle/59th Street
Columbus Circle (Entire Circle)
59th Street between Columbus Circle and 6th Avenue
6th Avenue between 59th Street and 34th Street
34th Street between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue

Dispersal:

33rd Street between 5th Avenue and 10th Avenue
34th Street between 7th Avenue and 8th Avenue
34th Street between 6th Avenue and 5th Avenue
35th Street between 5th Avenue and 8th Avenue
36th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue
37th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue
38th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue
39th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue
40th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue
41st Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue
7th Avenue between 31st Street and 41st Street
Broadway between 45th Street and 34thStreet

Miscellaneous (Formation and Dispersal):

58th Street between 9th Avenue and 5th Avenue
43rd Street between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue
40th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue
39th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue
38th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue
37th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue
36th Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue
32nd Street between Broadway and 7th Avenue
6th Avenue between 32nd Street and 34th Street
8th Avenue between 41st Street and 33rd Street
Broadway between 32nd Street and 34th Street
Broadway between Columbus Circle and 58th Street
8th Avenue between Columbus Circle and 58th Street
Grand Army Plaza between 59th Street and 5th Avenue

Additional Locations

86th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West
85th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West
84th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West
73rd Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West
70th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West
69th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West
67th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West
66th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West
65th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West
64th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West
63rd Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West
62nd Street between Columbus Avenue and Broadway
61st Street between Columbus Avenue and Broadway
60th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West
Grand Army Plaza between 59th Street and 58th Street
57th Street between 7th Avenue and 5th Avenue
56th Street between 7th Avenue and 5th Avenue
55th Street between 7th Avenue and 5th Avenue
54th Street between 7th Avenue and 5th Avenue
53rd Street between 7th Avenue and 5th Avenue
52nd Street between 7th Avenue and 5th Avenue
51st Street between 7th Avenue and 5th Avenue
50th Street between 7th Avenue and 5th Avenue
49th Street between 7th Avenue and 5th Avenue
48th Street between 7th Avenue and 5th Avenue
Rockefeller Plaza between 51st Street and 48th Street
47th Street between 7th Avenue and 5th Avenue
46th Street between 7th Avenue and 5th Avenue
45th Street between 7th Avenue and 5th Avenue
44th Street between 7th Avenue and 5th Avenue
43rd Street between 6th Avenue and 5th Avenue
42nd Street between 7th Avenue and 5th Avenue
41st Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue
40th Street between 6th Avenue and 5th Avenue
39th Street between 6th Avenue and 5th Avenue
38th Street between 6th Avenue and 5th Avenue
37th Street between 6th Avenue and 5th Avenue
36th Street between 6th Avenue and 5th Avenue
33rd Street between 6th Avenue and 5th Avenue
6th Avenue between 33rd Street and 32nd Street
Columbus Avenue between 86th Street and 83rd Street
Columbus Avenue between 72nd Street and 59th Street
9th Avenue between 59th Street and 58th Street
Broadway between Columbus Circle and 65th Street

Parade route

The parade's 2.5-mile route starts at West 77th Street and Central Park West on Manhattan's Upper West Side:

The parade will first head south down Central Park West for 18 blocks to Columbus Circle.
From Columbus Circle, the parade turns onto Central Park South and heads east to 6th Avenue.
From Central Park South and 6th Avenue, the parade turns onto 6th Avenue and heads south to 34th Street.
The parade then marches south from 6th Avenue for 25 blocks to 34th Street.
From 34th Street, the parade turns west onto 7th Avenue.
The parade's ending point is Macy's Herald Square at 34th Street and 7th Avenue.

For more details, click HERE.

Best spots to watch

The top viewing spot for the event is along Central Park West, near the parade's starting point. The location also helps you avoid the congestion at the parade's conclusion.

To secure a good spot, arrive early — as early as 6 a.m. Aim for a spot on the west side of Central Park West between W. 75th Street and W. 61st Street.

After the section of the parade passes, your next best viewing option is along 6th Avenue, between W. 59th Street and W. 38th Street.