Unsure if you heard the news, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will not be happening in person this year. They are reworking the parade to happen virtual according to a number of news outlets.
I have found information from the Macy's site with a press release statement about the changes. You can click here to check out the press release statement in full.
From the Macy's press release statement:
"This year the celebration will shift to a television only special presentation, showcasing the Macy’s Parade’s signature mix of giant character helium balloons, fantastic floats, street performers, clowns and heralding the arrival of the holiday season with the one-and-only Santa Claus."
I know for me & my family this will be a change. We always, while getting the Turkey in the oven and getting ready for family and friends to come by we turn on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. We have been doing it snice This will be a change from me & my family. Every year, while getting the turkey in the oven and getting the house ready for friends and family, we turn on the Thanksgiving Day Parade. We have been doing this since I was a small girl and I believe both sets of my grandparents did it with my parents back in the day.
Here, from the Macy's Press Release, are some of the safety guidelines they will be following:
"The safety of participants and spectators is Macy’s number one priority and this year’s 94thAnnual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade celebration will be produced solely as a television event allowing millions of New Yorkers and the nation to safely experience it from the comforts of home.
As part of Macy’s comprehensive health and wellness plan a number of changes will be implemented in order to execute this event safely. These changes include, but are not limited to the following:
- Reducing the overall number of participants by approximately 75%, and splitting the remaining participants over two days
- All participants will be appropriately socially distanced during performances and be required to wear face coverings and additional personal protective equipment depending on their role
- Shifting to a television-broadcast-only production with staging for Parade elements focused solely in/ around the Herald Square area of Midtown Manhattan
- The traditional 2.5-mile Parade route will not be utilized this year
- No participant in the Parade will be under 18 years of age
- Previously selected regional High School and College Marching Bands performances will be deferred to the 2021 Macy’s Parade, with locally based professional marching and musical ensembles taking musical duties in the lineup
- Macy’s traditional Giant Balloon Inflation public event on Wednesday will not take place
- Macy’s signature giant character balloons will be flown without the traditional 80-100 handlers and instead employ an innovative, specially rigged anchor vehicle framework of five specialty vehicles tested and approved by the NYCDOT and NYPD
The 94thAnnual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will air nationwide on NBC-TV, Thursday, November 26, 2020 from 9:00 a.m. to Noon, in all time zones. For more information visit macys.com/parade. To follow and participate in the excitement, check out @macys on various social platforms and follow #MacysParade."