Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade live updates: Float order and routes as Jimmy Fallon’s ‘singing’ prompts ‘lip-syncing’ questions
Jennifer Hudson and Australian pop icon Kylie Minogue were among the performers at the annual event in New York on Thursday
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Your support makes all the difference.The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has kicked off Thursday morning in New York City with a steady rain that added ponchos and umbrellas to the lineup of balloons, floats and highly anticipated star-studded performances.
Jennifer Hudson took the stage, shortly after Kylie Minogue. The Australian pop icon gave a short medley of her hits outside the Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street in Manhattan, including tracks Padam Padam and Can’t Get You Out Of My Head.
The annual holiday tradition features new Spider-Man and Minnie Mouse balloons, zoo and pasta-themed floats, an ode to Big Apple coffee and bagels, a far cry from the parade’s initial incarnation a century ago, which featured floats showing scenes from Mother Goose, Red Riding Hood and other fairy tales.
This year's parade features 17 giant, helium-filled character balloons, 22 floats, 15 novelty and heritage inflatables, 11 marching bands, 700 clowns, 10 performance groups, award-winning singers and actors, and the WNBA champion New York Liberty.
The parade is followed by the highly anticipated annual National Dog Show – this year celebrating its 92nd year. The event will see one lucky animal walk away with the “Best in Show” award and a $20,000 prize.
In pictures: Famous faces at the Thanksgiving parade
Steve Kornacki delights viewers with appearance at National Dog Show
Viewers were delighted when popular broadcaster Steve Kornacki made a surprise appearance at the National Dog Show.
Kornacki, the breakout star of MSNBC s election coverage, was accompanied by his usual interactive screen, though offered more canine-based analysis – including on the most popular dog names in different states.
Butterball facing Thanksgiving boycott after PETA resurfaces vile turkey abuse allegations
Butterball is facing resurfaced allegations of abuse, which have prompted some Americans to boycott the major turkey manufacturer just days before Thanksgiving.
As millions of people across the United States prepare their turkey-filled Thanksgiving menus, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has drawn attention to its undercover investigation of Butterball’s manufacturing plant in Ozark, Arkansas, which took place between April and July 2006.
Meredith Clarke has more on the story:
Butterball facing Thanksgiving boycott after PETA resurfaces turkey abuse allegations
Some Americans are swearing off turkey this Thanksgiving after Peta resurfaced its undercover investigation at a Butterball plant
10 Thanksgiving traditions and where they come from
Thanksgiving is a beloved occasion for Americans to spend time with their families and reflect on what they’re grateful for over the past year.
The holiday is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday in November, which means this year’s Thanksgiving will be falling on Thursday 23 November. Here are 10 traditions and where they come from:
10 Thanksgiving traditions and where they come from
From breaking a wishbone to watching annual Macy’s parade, these are some beloved Thanksgiving traditions in the US
Ponchos are a must this year
Ponchos have been a must this morning for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade as rains continued to pour down on enthusiastic New Yorkers.
Rain, rain go away!
Parade fans need fear not, the rain isn't (and hasn’t) stopping anything on Thursday.
In fact, the Macy’s Thansgiving parade has only been canceled three times, from 1942 to 1944 during World War II — but organizers are always monitoring wind speeds throughout the festivities to make sure it’s safe for the big balloons to fly.
Temperatures on Thursday were in the upper 40s degrees F, with rain throughout the morning and winds around 10 mph, well within the acceptable range for letting Snoopy, Bluey and their friends soar.
New York City law prohibits Macy’s from flying the full-size balloons if sustained winds exceed 23 mph or wind gusts are over 35 mph.
Cynthia Erivo shares verdict on controversial theater etiquette for Wicked screenings at Macy’s parade
During an interview with Today’s hosts at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Cynthia Erivo actor spoke candidly about playing Elphaba - alongside Ariana Grande who stars as Glinda - in the hit film.
TV host Hoda Kotb specifically asked Erivo if she thinks it’s appropriate to sing in the theaters during the movie musical, noting that a lot of fans had already done this.
Here was her verdict:
Cynthia Erivo shares verdict on controversial theater etiquette for Wicked screenings
Erivo gushed over the sweet reactions to her film during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade on Thursday
It’s time for the 2024 National Dog Show!
As the 98th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade came to an end, the 2024 National Dog Show officially began.For the 92nd year, thousands of dogs of different breeds gathered to compete in the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) event, which always takes place on Thanksgiving Day.
The event will see one lucky animal walk away with the “Best in Show” award and a $20,000 prize. Before that happens, breeds are assigned to one of these seven groups, “representing characteristics and functions the breeds were originally bred for,” as noted by AKC.
One dog from each of these seven groups received the “First in Group” title, before competing for the “Best in Show” award.This event will be hosted by Seinfeld star John O’Hurley and David Frei, who’s been co-hosting the National Dog Show on NBC since 2002.
As per usual, the event was televised directly after the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Pro-Palestine protesters arrested after disrupting Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
A group of pro-Palestine protesters have been arrested after briefly disrupting the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
The New York Police Department arrested 21 people in Manhattan on Thursday morning, local outlet ABC 7 NY reports, after the group ran in front of the Ronald McDonald float and briefly stopped the parade.
Katie Hawkinson has more:
Pro-Palestine protesters arrested after disrupting Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Twenty-one protesters were reportedly arrested after interrupting the parade for five minutes
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