Thanksgiving Day Parade! The 97th annual event sees Cher, Katharine McPhee with Jessie James Decker and Ashley Park perform

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade returns this year for its 97th edition and many celebrities were in attendance.

Cher was the big draw as she performed a song from her new Christmas album.

There was a performance by Jon Batiste.

Through the streets of New York City and aboard Macy’s signature floating stages were performances by artists such as Bell Biv DeVoe; Brandy; Chicago; En Vogue; ENHYPEN; David Foster and Katharine McPhee.

There was also a set from Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors.

Pregnant Jessie James Decker also showed up.

Ashley Park was seen with the cast and Muppets of Sesame Street; Pentatonix; Paul Russell; Amanda Shaw and Alex Smith; and Manuel Turizo also performed.

Fun times: She was seen with a Muppet from Sesame Street

Featuring an exciting line-up of distinctive character balloons, magical floats, the best brass bands from across the country, dynamic performance groups, imaginative clowns, the country’s greatest musical talents and the

one and only Santa Claus, this is the nation’s first Thanksgiving celebration.

“For nearly 100 years, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has been synonymous with the beginning of

the holidays, celebration and togetherness,” said Will Coss, executive producer of Macy’s

Thanksgiving parade. “Our talented team of artisans and production specialists at Macy’s Studios works year-round to deliver the nation’s most beloved holiday event live on Thanksgiving morning. We are proud to shoulder this responsibility and look forward to sharing our incredible designs, life-size character balloons and premium entertainment, all of which are sure to create lifelong memories for Parade fans across the country.”

The 97th Macy’s Parade lineup will include 5,000 volunteers, 16 character balloons, 26 fantastic floats, 32 heritage and novelty balloons, more than 700 clowns, 12 marching bands and nine performance groups. These Macy’s Parade shows feature some of music’s biggest stars, all welcome during Santa and the holidays.

Stars on 34th Street The Macy’s Parade is an all-star party, featuring some of the country’s most talented and iconic artists. For the 97th Macy’s Parade, legendary star of music, film, stage and television, Cher, will perform a new holiday hit and kick off the season on 34th Street.

Jimmy Fallon and Santa Claus attend the 97th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade kicks off in New York with Savannah and Hoda

On Thanksgiving, the Parade’s signature character balloons fly. Since their introduction in 1927, these larger-than-life balloons have featured some of the world’s most beloved and iconic characters.

Seven new balloons are debuting this year, including Beagle Scout Snoopy from Peanuts Worldwide; Blue Cat & Chugs from Cool Cats, a digitally native character; Kung Fu Pandas Po by Dreamworks Animation from Universal Pictures; Leo of Netflix, Inc.; Monkey D. Luffy by Toei Animation Inc.; Pillsbury Doughboy from Pillsbury; and Uncle Dan from Illumination.

This cover photo released by Warner shows Christmas by Cher

The skilled artisans at Macy’s Studios work year-round to create the whimsical designs that will float through the streets of New York City on the morning of the Parade. Conceived, designed, developed and built at the Macy’s Parade Studio – a design and production facility that includes carpenters, engineers, electricians, painters, animators, balloon technicians, sculptors, metal fabricators, stage and costume designers – these magical stages are made to transport Parade fans across the country to fantastic places.

This year, four new floats will debut during the Macy’s Parade celebration. The floating stages, along with their scheduled performers, include Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem from Nickelodeon & Paramount (Bell Biv DeVoe); Palace of Sweets by Brach’s® (brandy); Igniting Memories by Solo Stove (Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors); and The Wonderfully Delightful World of Wonka by Warner Bros. Pictures.

The float lineup is completed by a special performance by the Macy’s Singing Christmas Tree, featuring a Christmas choir of Macy’s colleagues with Bigs and Littles from Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS).

Jax’s tribute to Matthew Perry during Macy’s Thanksgiving parade

En Vogue waved to the camera

Manuel Turizo sang

Paul Russell 97th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell seen on a float

Miss America Grace Stanke 97th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The creation of this special ensemble furthers Macy’s commitment to youth empowerment through its social purpose platform, Mission Every One, which celebrates the power of mentorship and a multi-year partnership between Macy’s and BBBS.

The Macy’s Parade has a cherished and long tradition of showcasing the nation’s finest marching bands. Gifted musicians joining the march in November include Alabama A&M University Marching Maroon and White (Huntsville, AL); The Band Directors Marching BandTM (United States); Fishers High School Marching Tiger Band (Fishers, IN); Greendale High School Marching Band (Greendale, WI); Jenison High School Marching Band (Jenison, MI).

There was also Macy’s Great American Marching Band (United States); Mercer Island High School Marching Band (Mercer Island, WA); NYPD Marching Band (New York, NY); O’Fallon Township High School Marching Panthers (O’Fallon, IL); Rutgers University Marching Scarlet Knights (Piscataway, NJ); Marjory Stoneman Douglas Eagle Regiment High School Marching Band (Parkland, FL); and Texas Tech University Goin’ Band from Raiderland (Lubbock, TX).

There was also a performance outside Macy’s

The entertainment offering is completed by dynamic performance groups, tasked with entertaining the crowds on the streets of Manhattan and delivering a breathtaking performance on 34th Street. These groups include the Big Apple Circus; Cornell Bhangra from Ithaca, NY; Tiptoe’s Winter Guard, accompanying Tiptoe; the world famous Harlem Globetrotters; Maria Verdeja School of Arts (MVSA) dancers from Miami; St. John’s Dance; and the tap-dancing Christmas trees of California.

The performance lineup is completed by the young dancers and cheerleaders of Spirit of America Dance and Spirit of America Cheer. These two groups together include more than 1,200 of the best dancers and cheerleading performers.

The 97th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will depart at 8:30 a.m. from the traditional starting line at 77th Street and Central Park West. The procession marches along the signature 2.8-mile route that goes from Central Park West to Columbus Circle and then into Central. Park south and then march down 6th Avenue/Avenue of the Americas. At 34th Street, the Parade makes its final turn west and ends at 7th Avenue, in front of Macy’s iconic Herald Square flagship.

Handlers guide the Red Titan From Ryan’s World balloon

Last year’s “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade” was the most-watched entertainment program of the 2022-2023 season as it brings the nation together like no other broadcast. Parade fans nationwide can watch the official broadcast on NBC and simulcast on Peacock, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, in all time zones. The network will air an encore broadcast at 2:00 PM ET/PT. New for 2023 are several additional cameras along the route, giving viewers new vantage points of the Parade never before seen. “TODAY’s” Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker will be on hand to host the Emmy®-winning celebration. The Spanish-language simulcast on Telemundo will be hosted by the network’s personalities, Carlos Adyan and Andrea Meza.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade broadcast is produced by Emmy Award-winning Brad Lachman Productions. Brad Lachman and Bill Bracken serve as executive producers and Joe DeMaio directs.

Every year, Broadway is put on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade stage for fans from across the country to experience. The official national broadcast audience will enjoy performances from the best of Broadway, including ‘& Juliet’, ‘Back to the Future: The Musical’, ‘How To Dance In Ohio’, ‘Shucked’, ‘Spamalot’ and the iconic Radio City Rockettes®. Stars of Broadway’s ‘Gutenberg! The Musical!’, Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells will also appear, as special live correspondents along the Parade route