Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade stay updates: Float order and routes as Jimmy Fallon’s ‘singing’ prompts ‘lip-syncing’ questions

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:

Ponchos have been a must this morning for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade as rains continued to pour down on enthusiastic New Yorkers.

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.

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:

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.

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:

The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon raised some eyebrows with his performance at the parade, with some suggesting the comedian had lip-synced his songs… and badly.

Others suggested that Fallon may have had a big night out the night before, noting his choice of dark sunglasses in the New York rain.

Speaking with hosts of Today at Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Cynthia Erivo addressed the ongoing question that viewers have about Wicked: Is it appropriate to sing along to the movie in theaters?

This question also came after some theaters issued a reminder to fans that singing is not permitted unless the screening is a sing-along version.

However, according to Erivo, who plays Elphaba in the blockbuster film, the singing isn’t an issue. “I’m ok with it!” she said during the parade. “We’ve spent this long singing it ourselves it’s time for other people to join in.”

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.

As well as new Spider-Man and Minnie Mouse balloons, zoo and pasta-themed floats, an ode to Big Apple coffee and bagels, there are a bunch of returning favourites, including Bluey, Spongebob Squarepants, Stuart the Minion, Snoopy and Smokey Bear.

Performers include hip-hop’s T-Pain, country duo Dan + Shay, The War and Treaty, The Temptations, Jimmy Fallon & The Roots, Broadway veteran Lea Salonga, as well as Idina Menzel, Jennifer Hudson, Australian pop icon Kylie, and Wicked star Cynthia Erivo.

“Glow” actor and Macy’s spokesperson Alison Brie is also set to appear.

One new and innovative float spotlights the Rao’s food brand, featuring a knight and a dragon in battle made with actual pasta elements. Another celebrates the Bronx Zoo’s 125th anniversary with representations of a tiger, a giraffe, a zebra and a gorilla.