Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2018: Route, Time, How To Watch

NEW YORK, NY — Dozens of balloon characters and droves of spectators will flood midtown Thursday for the 92nd Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The prolific procession has come a long way since its first run in 1924 with live animals in lieu of the parade’s famous balloons and drew just 10,000 observes. Thursday’s march is expected to attract a whopping 3.5 million people with a dazzling display of 25 giant balloons, 31 floats, 20 performers including John Legend, Diana Ross and Martina McBride, and a dozen marching bands.

Here's our guide to navigating the hordes of tourists, subway changes, street closures — or if you'd rather skip the hullabaloo — how to watch the parade from the comfort of your home.

Start Time

The 92nd annual parade begins at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 22 and will run until noon.

The Route

Marchers kick off at W. 77th Street and processes south on Central Park West. Once the parade hits Columbus Circle, it will veer east onto Central Park South before continuing south onto Sixth Avenue, snake around the corner of W. 34th Street and culminate at Herald Square by noon.

Visit Macy's website for a full breakdown of the route.

Watching In Person

The early bird — ahem, turkey — will catch the best views. Early risers camp out starting at 6 a.m. on the west side of Central Park West from W. 75th to 59th Streets, or along Sixth Avenue between W. 59th and 38th streets. The parade will hit the Sixth Avenue stretch around 9:30 a.m.

Avoid lining up on Sixth Avenue between W. 34th and 38th streets as the television broadcast setup obstructs views of the parade.

How To Get There

Plan to meet up with your friends before heading into the chaotic crowds. The subway will operate on a Sunday schedule, but is your best bet — street closures will make traveling by a bus or cab hellish.

The closest stops to the start of the parade are 72nd Street on the 1/2/3 line, 79th Street on the 1, 81st Street on the C and Columbus Circle. Overcrowding may lead trains to bypass the 72nd Street station, according to the MTA.

Some station entrances will be closed at 59th Street-Columbus Circle, while certain entrances and exits will shutter at Penn Station and along the B/D/F/M line.

The 42nd Street shuttle and the 1 line will see beefed up service to ferry spectators to the parade.

Be sure to check the MTA’s service updates online and on Twitter before you head out. Read our full guide to MTA service changes on Thanksgiving here.

What To Wear And How To Prepare

Break out the scarves, gloves, hats and your warmest coats — it's going to be a cold one.

The city could see the coldest Thanksgiving temperatures in more than 150 years this Thursday. A high near 26 degrees is forecast, which would tie with Nov. 28, 1901 for the second-coldest Thanksgiving on record.

The wind chill will make it feel like a bone-chilling 4 degrees by 9 a.m., so bundle up if you plan on being among the more than 3.5 million spectators expected to attend this year's parade. Read our full Thanksgiving forecast here.

Also, go easy on the coffee and coco, nearby bathrooms will be swarmed with parade goers and you'll loose your spot once you leave.

Watching At Home

If you'd rather skip the frigid temperatures and chaotic commute, cozy up on your couch and watch the parade from home.

NBC will broadcast the march live — as it has every year since 1948 — starting at 9 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day. NBC personalities Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker will host the three-hour special. The network will rebroadcast the parade at 2 p.m. for those who miss the live run.

Viewers can also livestream the parade online at nbc.com/live or on the NBC app.

Road Closures

If you're driving in Manhattan on Wednesday or Thursday, you're going to have a tough time getting across town. Here's a rundown of all the streets that will be closed for the parade and balloon inflation festivities, according to the NYPD.

8 a.m. Wednesday

• West 73rd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Avenues

Noon Wednesday

• Central Park West from West 73rd to 85th Streets
• West 73rd Street between Columbus and Central Park West Avenues
• West 74th Street between Columbus and Central Park West Avenues
• West 75th Street between Columbus and Central Park West Avenues
• West 76th Street between Columbus and Central Park West Avenues
• West 77th Street between Columbus and Central Park West Avenues
• West 78th Street between Columbus and Central Park West Avenues
• West 80th Street between Columbus and Central Park West Avenues
• West 81st Street between Columbus and Central Park West Avenues
• West 82nd Street between Columbus and Central Park West Avenues
• West 83rd Street between Columbus and Central Park West Avenues
• West 84th Street between Columbus and Central Park West Avenues
• West 85th Street between Columbus and Central Park West Avenues
• Central Park Transverse Road at Central Park West and West 81 St. (Both Directions)

10 p.m. Wednesday

• Central Park West from 59th Street to 86th Street
• 81st Street and 77th Street from Central Park West to Columbus Avenue

Thursday

• Broadway between West 34th Street and West 40th Street- Midnight to 1 p.m.
• 6th Avenue between West 23rd Street and West 42nd Street – 2 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• 7th Avenue from West 34th Street and West 42nd Street - 2 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• 34th Street between 6th Avenue and 8th Avenue - 10 p.m. (Wednesday) to 5 p.m.
• 59th Street E/B between 7th Avenue and Central Park West – Midnight to 2 p.m.
• 59th Street W/B between 5th Avenue and Central Park West – 2 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• 35th Street between 5th Avenue and 8th Avenue - 2 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• 36th Street between 6th Avenue and 8th Avenue - 2 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• 37th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue - 4 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• 38th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue - 4 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• 8th Avenue between 34th Street and 40th Street - 4 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Broadway between 38th Street and 59th Street - 4 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• 33rd Street between 7th Avenue and 10th Avenue - 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• 39th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue - 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• 40th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue - 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• 49th Street between 5th Avenue and 7th Avenue - 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• 50th Street between 5th Avenue and 7th Avenue - 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Central Park 65th Street/66th Street Transverse Roads - 7 a.m. until conclusion of parade

9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Thursday vehicles will not be able to access:

• 6th Avenue between West 33rd and West 59th Street
• 8th Avenue between West 57th and West 59th Street
• 8th Avenue between West 33rd and West 40th Street
• Broadway between 59th Street and 57th Street
• Broad between West 34th and West 40th Street (only escorted deliveries)
• 42nd Street between 5th and 8th Avenue
• 57th Street between 5th and 8th Avenue

Photo courtesy of Yana Paskova/Getty Images)