Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2014: Best Places to Watch Performers Idina Menzel, Nick Jonas (Floats Preview Video)
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2014 takes place in New York City on Thursday and will draw thousands to Manhattan for the parade route to celebrate Thanksgiving Day together. The event is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. ET and can be watched on TV on the NBC network. Information on the parade is revealed below along with full details of where best to watch the event live in NYC and online.
This year, as usual, will see a colorful troupe of entertainers and giant balloons take to the streets of New York City as thousands usher in the holidays.
Organizers of the event this year have said that it will see the "largest new cast of giant character balloons ever assembled" and five new floats, according to Amy Kule, who is the executive producer of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2014.
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Kule has also confirmed that there will be a live-stream feed from one of the floats, 360-degree panoramic photos and a confetti carpet.
"We are bringing the Macy's parade closer to audiences in New York City and in homes across the country," she has said ahead of the event.
This year's parade will feature a balloons like Snoopy and Woodstock, Spider-Man, Harold the Fireman and SpongeBob SquarePants.
Among the performers set for the parade are Idina Menzel, Nick Jonas, singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, Pentatonix and opera singer Renée Fleming.
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2014 route, start time and best spots to watch are all revealed below:
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2014 Start Time
This year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has a start time of 9 a.m. ET on Thursday, Nov. 27.
The parade will continue on until noon, lasting three hours in total. However, those who want to get the best spots for the parade should consider getting to the parade route much earlier, with thousands usually making their way to the premium spots a good few hours in advance.
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2014 Live Stream, How to Watch Online and on TV
If you are unable to make it to the streets of Manhattan for the parade, or would just prefer to stay out of the cold, then the entire parade can be watched on TV on the NBC and CBS networks.
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2014 Route Map
This year's parade starts at 77th Street and Central Park West, just south of the American Museum of Natural History.
From there, the parade will march south along the perimeter of Central Park to 59th Street, where it will take a left turn along the south edge of the park.
The procession will turn right down Sixth Avenue, which is the parade's longest stretch, from 59th Street to 34th Street.
As usual, the parade will end at the Macy's store at Herald Square.
The best way to reach the starting point of the parade is to take the 1/2/3 trains to 72nd Street, the A/C and B lines to 81st Street, or the 1/2 trains to 79th Street.
The parade route map is below, or you can find a printer-friendly PDF version here.
Best Places To Watch Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
It is essential if you want to get the best viewing spots to get to the parade route early. The front row of the parade in the best spots fill up very early, with many people arriving from as early as 6 a.m. ET.
New York City travel expert Heather Cross recommends getting a spot near the starting line where the parade goes by much quicker.
Viewing the parade from Columbus Circle is also reported as a good location too, as there are fewer obstructions.
Those planning to attend should also note that there is no parade viewing on Sixth Avenue between 34th Street and 28th Street, as this is where television crews set up.
"It's almost never a good idea to try to watch the parade near Macy's," according to Cross.
