Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has kicked off with this morning with a procession of its iconic floats through New York’s streets.
Millions of spectators swarmed the streets to get a glimpse of the parade’s 50ft Hello Kitty helium balloon plane as it soared between Manhattan’s high rises, followed by a giant floating Olaf and, everyone’s favorite, Charlie Brown.
The 91st annual parade also features star appearances from Smokey Robinson, Jimmy Fallon, The Roots, Flo Rida and Wyclef Jean, with performances from the casts of Broadway’s ‘Anastasia,’ ”Dear Evan Hansen’ and ‘SpongeBob SquarePants,’ plus a dozen marching bands.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has kicked off with this morning with a procession of its iconic floats through New York’s streets
Ronald McDonald is carried down Central Park West during the 91st Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
A 50ft Hello Kitty helium balloon plane soared between Manhattan’s high rises during the event which celebrates its 91st anniversary
Participants stand below a parade balloon before the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as Olaf floats overhead
A turkey float, with pilgrims, parades past in the early hours of the morning ready for the parade
Ice Age’s Scrat the squirrel is one of the popular returning floats to the event this year, surrounded by clowns
A marching band arrives to take part during the 91st Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Manhattan
But while families soak up the heady atmosphere, there are reminders everywhere that security has been beefed up more than ever before in the wake of multiple terror attacks on innocent civilians. One of the worst mass shootings in 2017 occurred in in Las Vegas when a gunman shot dead 58 and injured hundreds more when he opened fire from his high rise hotel room in October.
While New York authorities say there’s no confirmation of a credible threat to this year’s parade, security has been stepped up to avoid another tragedy. There are officers with assault weapons and portable radiation detectors among the crowds and sharpshooters on rooftops.
Sand-filled city sanitation trucks have been parked up as traffic barriers as an extra precaution after the deadly truck attack in lower Manhattan which left eight dead and a dozen injured, just earlier this month.
New York Police Department officers stand guard in front of Radio City Music Hall before the 91st Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade inflation eventInflation Eve on Wednesday
Officers stand near the site where a large balloon of Olaf, from the animated film, ‘Frozen’, is being inflated for the Thanksgiving Day parade in New York, Wednesday
Police officers stand near the site where balloons are being inflated for the Thanksgiving Day parade in New York
Pedestrians have their bags searched as they pass through a checkpoint to watch the balloons being inflated
‘Every year the NYPD has done more to keep this event tonight and the parade itself safer,’ Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio told crowds gathered to watch the balloons being inflated Wednesday.
‘Because we understand we are dealing with a very challenging world. And so the amount of resources and personnel we put in has increased each year to make us safer.’
But New Yorkers refused to be intimidated and turned out in droves to watch new faces and old favorites fly, float and march at today’s event.
The parade began at 9am on Thursday, with marching bands, performers from Broadway hits, elaborate floats and signature giant balloons.
Gwen Stefani rehearsal Macy’s thanksgiving parade in New York City earlier this week
Parade stalwarts Ronald McDonald, The Dino and the Pillsbury Doughboy floated along the city’s streets while a predicted 50 million people watched from the warmth of their homes (pictured on the inflation on Wednesday)
The saber-toothed squirrel balloon was inflated at the Macy’s Parade balloon inflation on Wednesday
Macy’s inflates the parade balloons on the day before the Annual Parade. Among the new ones were ‘The Grinch’ from ‘The Grinch Who Stole Christmas’ and ‘Olaf’ from the very popular film ‘Frozen’
Emily Newman, 7, plays with her father as they watch the balloons being inflated for the Thanksgiving Day parade in New York
People stretch a net over a balloon before inflating it for the Thanksgiving Day parade in New York, Wednesday,
Olaf from the movie Frozen and Chase from TV’s Paw Patrol are among the new balloons, along with a new version of the Grinch of Dr. Seuss fame.
Parade stalwarts Ronald McDonald, The Dino and the Pillsbury Doughboy floated along the city’s streets while a predicted 50 million people watched from the warmth of their homes.
Police officers will escort each of the giant balloons to help monitor wind speeds and ensure the wafting characters don’t go off course, but winds weren’t expected to climb above 17 mph.
In 2005, a balloon caught an unexpected gust of wind and struck a lamppost in Times Square, injuring two people. Since then, the parade has been accident-free.
Balloon are ready to be inflated for the Thanksgiving Day parade in New York, Wednesday
Large balloons are inflated for the Thanksgiving Day parade in New York, Wednesday,
A woman appears in her window while a large duck balloon is prepared for the Thanksgiving Day parade in New York
Police officers stand near the site where a large balloon of Olaf, from the animated film, ‘Frozen’, is being inflated
Police officers stand near the site where a large balloon of Olaf, from the animated film, ‘Frozen’, is being inflated for the Thanksgiving Day parade