Each November, the holiday season kicks off in spectacular fashion with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Traditionally, the beloved event, with its dozens of massive balloons depicting iconic characters, marching bands, and musical performances, is broadcast over the airwaves on NBC, but that's not your only option this year. As millions of people continue to cut the cord and seek out other options for their entertainment needs, changes are being made across the board. One of these changes is that for the first time in event’s history, you will be able to watch the 95th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade streaming live, and here’s how…
Where To Watch The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Streaming
In November 2021, NBCUniversal announced that the 95th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade would be streaming live on Peacock, giving fans of the decades-long spectacle more ways to take in the festivities. Parade coverage will start at 9 a.m. ET Thursday, November 25, and is expected to run until about noon before the rest of Peacock’s Thanksgiving Day coverage kicks off (more on that later). Throughout the parade, a live camera will be perched atop the Peacock float providing subscribers with a bird’s eye view of the massive parade and pop culture event.
It should be noted that a Peacock Premium subscription is required to watch the livestream of the 2021 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Watch The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Peacock.
Is The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Still Airing On NBC?
Just because the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is streaming live it doesn’t mean those without Peacock (or those who prefer the standard TV setup) are out of luck. Not to break with tradition, the parade will once again be broadcast on NBC, though not everyone will see it live. The parade kicks off at 9 a.m. in all time zones, meaning only those in the Eastern Time Zone will see the parade as it happens live, all others will have a delay ranging from one to several hours depending on where you live. If you want to watch the parade as it happens live (and you don’t live on the East Coast), Peacock will be your best route.
Who Is Performing At The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Like in previous runnings of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the 2021 event is set to feature a large variety of musical performers from the pop charts and Broadway. The full list of performers can be found on the Macy’s Parade website, but highlights include Nelly, Jon Batiste, Rob Thomas, the cast of Girls5eva, Darren Criss, K-Pop outfit Aespa, and much, much more.
There will also be plenty of balloons taking to the streets of New York City again in 2021, with Baby Yoda, Pikachu and Eevee, Snoopy, Smokey Bear, Boss Baby, Sonic the Hedgehog, and multiple others set to soar. The parade will also feature elaborate floats, marching bands, performance groups, and other surprises.
Other Thanksgiving Day Events Streaming On Peacock
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is just the beginning of Peacock’s live streaming coverage throughout Turkey Day 2021. At noon ET, subscribers will be able to watch the National Dog Show, which will be followed up by the National Dog Show Junior at 2 p.m. ET. The coverage will wrap up with a livestream of Sunday Night Football on Thanksgiving Night when the New Orleans Saints host the Buffalo Bills at 8 p.m. ET.
Between the Macy's Parade and all the other live content, it looks like Peacock is going to be quite lively on Thanksgiving Day. If you want to know what else to watch, check out CinemaBlend's 2021 Fall TV schedule.
