In Pictures
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade ushers in holiday season in New York
This was the 97th time the parade has been held since 1924.
Balloons in the shape of beloved characters like Snoopy and SpongeBob SquarePants soared through the skies above New York City on Thursday, and bands marched along the streets below, as the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade ushered in the holiday season.
The parade started on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, making its way alongside Central Park in front of big crowds and a national television audience, before ending in front of Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street.
Among the big names performing was Cher, who just released her first Christmas album.
The parade was briefly disrupted when about a half-dozen protesters in jumpsuits covered in fake blood glued themselves to the street just in front of a float carrying characters from the fast food giant McDonald’s. They carried a banner that said “Free Palestine” and “Genocide then. Genocide now” and were taken into custody.
The parade included more than two dozen floats, interspersed with marching bands from around the country and a number of clown crews, among the 8,000 people participating, organisers said.
