Despite chilly temperatures and dicey wind conditions, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade went off without a hitch Thursday to celebrate the holiday.
City law prevents Macy’s from flying the parade’s trademark balloons if sustained winds top 23 mph and gusts exceed 35 mph, but the gusts stuck between 25 and 30 mph for this year’s celebration.
Winds have only prevented the balloons from soaring once, in 1971, though they’ve flown lower due to weather conditions before. Much to the delight of an estimated 3.5 million people in the city and millions more watching at home, Spider-Man, Mickey Mouse and 32 others soared through the streets as usual, joined by 28 floats.
The parade also included performances from “Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo, Ciara, Lainey Wilson, Debbie Gibson, Foreigner, Lil Jon, the cast of the Netflix hit animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” and more.
Additionally, the Radio City Rockettes, founded in 1925, marked their 100th anniversary with their traditional performance near the end of the parade.
