Macy’s has announced that it will stage a pared down version of its almost one-hundred-year-old Thanksgiving parade this year because of the covid pandemic. This year’s event will be staged over two days, the overall number of participants will be reduced by 75% and all participants will observe social distancing. The traditional 2.5 mile route will not be part of this year’s event and the massive balloons will be tied to specially rigged anchor vehicles without the traditional 80-100 handlers.

According the the New York mayor, Macy’s "is reinventing the event for this moment in history. And you will be able to feel the spirit and the joy of that day on television, online — not a live parade, but something that will really give us that warmth and that great feeling we have on Thanksgiving Day."