The annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade returns for the 87^th year on Thursday, November 28 on NBC.  More than 8,000 participants will march through the streets of Manhattan at the sound of the words “Let’s Have a Parade.”  The parade’s signature elements are its giant balloons, floats of performers and the one and only Santa Claus. The host of the parade this year will be Matt Lauer.

Joining the celebration this year will be the Big Apple Circus, NFL legends Bart Oates, Amani Toomer and Hines Ward, NHL superstars Cam Neely and Mike Richter, the Robertson family from the hit TV series “Duck Dynasty,” Jimmy Fallon, Goo Goo Dolls, Fall Out Boy and many more.  To help kick off the Parade’s entertainment the world famous Radio City Rockettes will be there, along with performances from Broadway’s award winning musicals “Matilda,” “Motown: The Musical” and many more.  In addition to all the excitement, the first hour of the parade’s broadcast will feature an appearance by Carrie Underwood and members of the “The Sound of Music.”

As America’s best high school and college marching bands, hundreds of dancers, cheerleaders, clowns and balloons make their way down the streets of Manhattan, they will be joined by four new balloons, five new floats and a spinning dreidel because Hanukkah falls during  Thanksgiving this year.  The returning favorites are Snoopy with his pal Woodstock and SpongeBob Squarepants. The newest balloons are the characters from the kids TV series “Adventure Time with Finn and Jake,” and the dragon from “How to Train Your Dragon.”

To honor the 75^th anniversary of “The Wizard of Oz,” there will be a 47 foot tall giant hot air balloon with portraits of the characters from the film on the balloon. Along for the ride in the hot air balloon there will be the one and only Wizard of Oz and Dorothy. Following behind them there will be special balloon head characters of the Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion and the Wicked Witch of the West.

If all the TV’s in your house are being taken over by football this Thanksgiving, you can still experience the magic of the parade by downloading the new Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade app from iTunes. Not only can you stay updated with the parade but you can get exclusive behind the scenes of the balloon prep.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will start off at 77^th Street and Central Park West.  The parade will travel down Columbus Circle turn onto Central Park South and march down 6^th Avenue to 34^th street. The parade will make its final turn west and end at 7^th Avenue in front of Macy’s Herald Square.