Returning for its 97th edition this year, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will officially welcome the holiday season on Thursday, 23 November.

For the first time in its long history, the iconic holiday tradition will begin 30 minutes early in New York and on the official national broadcast.

Showcasing an exciting lineup of featured character balloons, magical floats, the finest marching bands from across the country, dynamic performance groups, imaginative clowns, the nation's biggest musical talents, and the one-and-only Santa Claus.

"For nearly 100 years, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has been synonymous with the beginning of
the holiday season, celebration and togetherness," said Will Coss, executive p[producer of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

"Our talented team of Macy's Studios artisans and production specialists work year-round to deliver the nation's most beloved holiday event, live on Thanksgiving morning. We are proud to hold this responsibility and look forward to sharing our unbelievable designs, larger-than-life character balloons, and first-class entertainment, all sure to create lifelong memories for Parade fans nationwide."

The 97th Macy's Parade lineup will include 5,000 volunteers, 16 featured character balloons, 26 fantastic
floats, 32 heritage and novelty balloons, more than 700 clowns, 12 marching bands, and nine performance
groups. Joining these Macy's Parade fixtures are some of the biggest stars in music, such as Cher, Brandy, Chicago, En Vogue, ENHYPEN, David Foster, and Katharine McPhee, among many others.