Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade steps off in NYC with giant balloon characters making their way through Manhattan

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade set to march through Manhattan

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade set to march through Manhattan

NEW YORK - Thanksgiving kicks off bright and early with the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.

Long before the feast, people young and old watch the balloons and pageantry make their way through Manhattan.

How to watch Macy's Thanksgiving Day 2023 Parade:Route map, timing and more details to know

The parade steps off from West 77th Street and Central Park West, eventually making its way down Sixth Avenue to Macy's Herald Square. All the fun kicks off 30 minutes earlier this year at 8:30 a.m.

ohn Dias is out on the route, giving us a look at this year’s parade!

Posted by CBS New York on Thursday, November 23, 2023

There will be 31 floats, including six new ones, along with seven new balloons.

The 97th year of the parade will be even sweeter, with two new candy-themed creations. Also making an appearance from the silver screen are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles straight from the summer hit "Mutant Mayhem" from Paramount Pictures.

Organizers say it takes about four months to build a single float, and the parade studio team puts in more than 8,000 hours of work to make all the magic come together.

See our special coverage of Wednesday's balloon inflation event here.

John Dias John Dias is an Emmy-nominated reporter. He joined CBS2 News in November 2017.