For many Thanksgiving doesn’t just mean a family feast, it also means a morning spent watching the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Monday morning, organizers from the parade, including executive producer Amy Kule, previewed the 87th parade on the Today show.

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Every Thanksgiving Macy’s introduces new floats and balloons to the traditional parade. This year, one new float in particular has been attracting a lot of attention: SeaWorld’s ‘Sea of Surprises’ float. The float features two orca whales and other sea animals despite the fact that the organization has come under extreme public scrutiny since the release of the documentary Blackfish. PETA has organized a protest against SeaWorld’s inclusion into the parade, but the float is still scheduled to appear as announced.

Other anticipated new floats include ‘The Dreamseeker’ by Cirque du Soleil. The elaborate float will include an “exclusive performance” for attendees and viewers. There will also be a Despicable Me 2 themed float, titled ‘Despicably Delicious,’ which appears to be a cupcake-themed float topped with the film’s signature Minions.

As for the balloons, this year Macy’s brings the traditional Hello Kitty, Snoopy and Spiderman. The ‘Snoopy & Woodstock’ balloon towers over the audience, going as high as three stories and requiring 90 handlers to keep it steady and on route. It has been in the parade more than any other character – after this year it will have appeared in 33 parades. Keeping alive tradition, Macy’s is bringing back the ‘Happy Hippo’ balloon of 1940 and a re-imagined ‘Arrrtie the Pirate’ balloon from 1947. Furthermore, in celebration of this year’s unique overlapping holidays, Thanksgiving and Hanukkah (or ‘Thanksgivingukkah’), the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will feature a large spinning dreidel.

Performers at this year’s parade include Cher Lloyd, Jimmy Fallon and the Roots, the Power Rangers, Austin Mahone and Ariana Grande, who will be singing atop the ‘Dora’s Christmas Carol Adventure’ float.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade begins Thursday at 9 a.m. and will start at 77th Street and move down Central Park West, going East at 59th Street and then moving South onto 6th Avenue until 34th St, Herald Square where the parade comes to an end.

If you are planning on attending the parade, the official website cautions against making camp on 6 Ave between 34-38 Streets, where most of the viewing area is taken up by media and television cameras broadcasting the event. Officials also suggest arriving at your chosen viewing site starting around 6 a.m. to ensure a good spot. If that’s too early for you, Macy’s also offers the Giant Balloon Inflation on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. From 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. spectators can gather and watch the inflation at the Museum of Natural History on 79 Street and Columbus Ave.

Finally, for those watching at home, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will air live on NBC.

– Olivia Truffaut-Wong

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