Best Thanksgiving Day Parades
Before you sit down for a turkey feast with family and friends, get in the holiday spirit at a Thanksgiving Day parade complete with giant balloons, festive floats and marching bands.
The Spiderman balloon makes its way through Times Square in the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. The 86th annual event is one of the oldest Thanksgiving Day parades in the US.
Big Bird hits the streets in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. In 2012, the annual event features the likes of Hello Kitty, Papa Smurf and a special guest from <i>The Elf on the Shelf</i>.
Participants make their way through Columbus Circle during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. In the 1920s, many of Macy's department employees were immigrants. Proud of their new country, they wanted to celebrate – so began the yearly tradition.
Participants strike a pose in this annual Thanksgiving celebration through downtown Houston. In 2012, the parade is expected to draw an estimated 400,000 spectators and nearly 2 million television viewers.
The Blues Brothers perform on a float at the H-E-B Holiday Parade in Houston. For more than 60 years, the annual event has showcased the Houston community at its lively best.
Teddy Turkey struts his stuff in "Chicago's Grand Holiday Tradition.” Teddy is the mascot of the annual Chicago event, having made his first appearance at the parade in 2009.
Children riding miniature ponies participate in the McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade.
The cartoon character Arthur ambles down State Street in Chicago.
Giant balloons float above the street during America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, MI.
Santa Claus rides on his sleigh down Central Park West during the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in NYC. St. Nick’s arrival at the parade's grand finale signals the official start of the Christmas season.
The Kung Fu Panda balloon floats through Times Square during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. In 2012, the famous panda joins a lineup that includes Spider-Man, Ronald McDonald, the Pillsbury Doughboy, Pikachu and Sonic the Hedgehog.
Founded in 1947, this parade through Charlotte, NC, is one of the few Thanksgiving parades held in the afternoon as opposed to the morning -- a definite plus for late risers. The annual event is also the fourth-largest in America, with an estimated 100,000 spectators.