How was the Macy's Thanksgiving parade in New York

The flamboyant cartoon characters returned to New York skies on Thursday, November 25th. They delighted thousands of people who gathered for Macy's annual Thanksgiving Parade. with the BBC.

Baby Yoda, Snoopy and Papa Smurf were among the balloons spotted over the crowded streets Manhattan... At the same time, on the ground, marching bands, artists and, of course, an inflatable turkey figure entertained the crowd.

The parade has changed significantly from last year. Then the public was forbidden to personally attend the event due to concerns about COVID-19.

The Snoopy balloon, which has been used regularly since 1968, is back on the parade. The current version of the balloon - the cosmonaut - has a height of about 14 meters, its movement was provided by 90 operators.

Baby Yoda, who delighted fans of the Star Wars spin-off The Mandalorian, has become the new hot air balloon for 2021.

But Yoda wasn't the only newcomer: the Pokémon characters Pikachu and Ivy made their first parade debut as a pair.

The route of the parade ran through Manhattan and stretched for 4 km. More than 8000 people took part in it.

They were joined by actors from several Broadway showsincluding Wicked, Six and Waitress. The audience's favorites were also present - The Rockettes.

This year, performers to participate in the parade had to be vaccinated and also wear masks. Although for some of those who sing and perform, exceptions have been made regarding masks.

"The parade is back in full force this year," New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said ahead of the event.

The full video of the event can be seen below.