The 98th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will take place this Thursday, November 28th. The parade will kick off at the intersection of Central Park on the west side and West 77th Street in Manhattan, with traffic control measures in place along the route.
According to Macy’s event page, the parade route will span 2.5 miles (about 4 kilometers) and is expected to run from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. The starting point of the parade will be at the intersection of Central Park on the west side and West 77th Street, heading south through Columbus Circle, Sixth Avenue, and ultimately returning to Macy’s headquarters in Herald Square on 34th Street.
The parade will feature 17 giant character balloons, 22 floats, 15 novelty and traditional inflatables, 11 marching bands, 700 clowns, and 10 performance groups.
However, the parade starting point at the intersection of Central Park on the west side and West 77th Street will not be open for public viewing. According to Fox News, Central Park on the west side remains a prime viewing spot for the Thanksgiving Day Parade as long as spectators avoid the starting point.
Leading up to and during the parade, specific sections of Fifth Avenue, Broadway all the way to Eighth Avenue, Tenth Avenue, West 23rd Street to West 66th Street, will be closed off to traffic.
Additionally, West 34th Street between Sixth Avenue and Eighth Avenue, where Macy’s headquarters is located, will be closed off from 10 p.m. on Wednesday, the 27th, to 5 p.m. on the 28th.
For those planning to attend the parade, you can refer to the official Central Park website for a comprehensive list of closed-off streets and times: https://www.centralpark.com/things-to-do/activities/road-and-street-closures-for-thanksgiving-day-parade/
**Traffic Control**
According to reports from ABC and the Associated Press, the following Manhattan street closures and times on Thanksgiving Day, November 28th, will be as follows:
1. Broadway between West 34th Street and West 41st Street, Midnight to 1 p.m.
2. Sixth Avenue between West 23rd Street and West 42nd Street, 2 a.m. to 1 p.m.
3. Seventh Avenue from West 34th Street to West 42nd Street, 2 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
4. West 59th Street between Seventh Avenue and the west side of Central Park, Midnight to 2 p.m.
5. West 59th Street between Fifth Avenue and the west side of Central Park, 2 a.m. to 2 p.m.
6. West 35th Street between Fifth Avenue and Eighth Avenue, 2 a.m. to 4 p.m.
7. West 36th Street between Sixth Avenue and Eighth Avenue, 2 a.m. to 2 p.m.
8. West 37th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue, 4 a.m. to 2 p.m.
9. West 38th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue, 4 a.m. to 2 p.m.
10. Eighth Avenue between West 34th Street and West 40th Street, 4 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
11. Broadway between West 38th Street and West 59th Street, 4 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
12. West 33rd Street between Seventh Avenue and Tenth Avenue, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
13. West 39th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
14. West 40th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
15. West 49th Street between Fifth Avenue and Seventh Avenue, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
16. West 50th Street between Fifth Avenue and Seventh Avenue, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
17. Transverse roads on 65th Street/West 66th Street in Central Park, from 7 a.m. until the end of the parade.