Macy's Thanksgiving Parade Reopens To The Public: What To Expect

Macy's said on Wednesday, September 8th that the public will once again be able to walk the streets of New York to watch the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade live. This year the event will become 95-th version of Macy's iconic balloon-filled parade, reports CNBC... Live music performances will return, including orchestras that were originally scheduled to perform at last year's parade.

Macy's was cut significantly last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The usual 1,5-kilometer parade route was not used - the event was televised instead.

“We are thrilled to once again welcome Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in its full form,” New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement.

The organizers of the parade said they have adopted the best practices from their recent Fireworks show, which took place on July 4th. The show attracted a public audience this year after downsizing in 2020.

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They stressed that all participants and volunteer staff should be vaccinated against COVID-19. To ensure social distancing along the parade route, the number of participants will be reduced by 20% - to 1600 people.

And department store chains are concerned about how to cope with the public viewing of the balloon inflating on the night before the parade.

Macy's said they will continue to monitor health trends. The network is ready to implement the contingency plan if necessary. Macy's full press release can be found here.