DeBlasio Confirms Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Will Be Virtual This Year
by Elana Lyn GrossTopline
New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio confirmed Monday that the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be virtual this year as large scale events continue to be canceled or altered because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Key Facts
There are concerns large events like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade could be coronavirus superspreaders, even with public health regulations like social distancing and mask-wearing in effect.
There will not be a live parade this year, de Blasio said during his daily press briefing, noting “it will not be the same parade we're used to.”
Although Macy’s is “reinventing” the event, de Blasio said people will “feel the spirit and the joy of that day on television, online.”
Macy’s previously announced that following its “successful, safe and innovative production of Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks,” its intention is to “similarly reimagine” Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
It is not clear how Macy’s will stage the virtual parade, but DeBlasio said Macy’s will release more details on its revised Thanksgiving Day Parade plan later in the day.
Key Background
This year Macy’s staged and recorded several small fireworks shows across New York City’s five boroughs in the days leading up to the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks show on NBC. Each display lasted five minutes to avoid drawing crowds.
Tangent
New York City was the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, but the number of cases have significantly declined since the peak in April.
Big Number
237,802. That is how many confirmed Covid-19 cases there have been in New York City as of Sunday, according to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.