High-flying balloon characters star in Thanksgiving parade - The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Throngs of spectators lined the streets of New York connected Thursday arsenic colorful, high-flying balloons helped usher successful the vacation play during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The yearly tradition, which dates backmost astir a century, packed streets arsenic a procession of elephantine inflatables and floats streamed for much than 40 blocks from Central Park to Herald Square.

Children balanced atop metallic barricades and hung from scaffolding to ticker the balloons amid mostly sunny skies and a flimsy breeze.

“Blue, Blue. There’s Blue,” yelled Divyam Kumar, 6, arsenic his begetter helped equilibrium him and his 4-year-old member Aanu Aryan connected a metallic rail.

The youngster was referring to the prima of the animated amusement “Blue’s Clues” — not to beryllium confused with the planetary cartoon sensation Bluey, an Australian cattle pup making her parade debut.

Bluey’s balloon towered arsenic gangly arsenic a four-story gathering and stretched arsenic wide arsenic 7 taxi cabs.

Stuart, the one-eyed Minion, was besides determination to thrill the crowd.

But it was Snoopy that particularly caught the oculus of Brenner Chenenko, 8, adjacent much truthful than the much modern pups.

“It’s 1 of the classics,” said the youngster from Rochester, New York, who lined the parade way with his begetter Nate and gramps John Wopperer.

It was the archetypal clip the begetter and lad had seen the parade successful person. Wopperer past saw a parade unrecorded 3 years ago, earlier the pandemic sidelined the lawsuit for a year.

Snoopy, dressed arsenic an astronaut, was followed by different old-time favorite, Papa Smurf.

This year’s parade featured 16 elephantine balloons, 28 floats, 40 novelty and practice inflatables, 12 marching bands, 10 show groups, 700 clowns and 1 Santa Claus.

The procession of characters were joined by vocalist Paula Abdul, successful her archetypal parade appearance; indie popular set Fitz and the Tantrums; lad set Big Time Rush; “Blue’s Clues & You!” big Josh Dela Cruz; vocalist Gloria Estefan; gospel vocalist Kirk Franklin; histrion Mario Lopez; reggae prima Ziggy Marley; and Miss America 2022 Emma Broyles.

Singers Joss Stone, Jordin Sparks and Betty Who were besides portion of the festivities, arsenic were the stars of Peacock’s “Pitch Perfect: Bumper successful Berlin” — Adam Devine, Sarah Hyland and Flula Borg. Jimmy Fallon & The Roots were connected a interval celebrating Central Park.

President Biden and Jill Biden called into the parade, arsenic helium did past year. Biden thanked firefighters, constabulary officers and archetypal responders, saying, “They ne'er instrumentality a break.”

They thanked the troops and Biden said helium would beryllium reaching retired to talk to immoderate today.

Asked astir their plans for the time successful Nantucket, Massachusetts, the Bidens said it would impact family, and immoderate clip spent locally, thanking archetypal responders.

In Plymouth, Massachusetts, the English colony founded by the Pilgrims who arrived connected the Mayflower, 2 yearly events were being held to clasp “all aspects” of the holiday, municipality officials said.

Costumed participants were re-enacting their yearly Thanksgiving Day “Pilgrim Progress” procession, representing the 51 survivors of that archetypal brutal wintertime of 1621 — though Thursday’s unit had amended conditions, with sunny skies and temperatures successful the 40s.

There besides was a “National Day of Mourning” honoring indigenous ancestors and protesting against racism and oppression. “We are not vanquishing, We are not conquered, We are arsenic beardown arsenic ever,” a motion down the speakers read.

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Associated Press reporters Deepti Hajela and Kathy McCormack contributed to this story.