Expect to see a different Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City this year during the pandemic.
Macy's announced that it will make some alterations to the famous parade this November, similar to the way the company changed its usual Fourth of July fireworks this summer into smaller displays that only lasted five minutes over multiple days to avoid large crowds.
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"For more than 90 years, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has kicked off the holiday season with its signature entertainment spectacle, making it one of the world’s most beloved events," the company said on its website. "Following our successful, safe and innovative production of Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks®, it is our intention to similarly reimagine Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this November."
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a press conference Thursday that while aspects of the parade won't be the same, the goal is preserving one of the country's most famous traditions.
"I think everything is going to be different is the simple answer," he said.
"I think some is going to be virtual, it might be some small in-person pieces, spread-out pieces. It’s not going to look at all, of course, like what we are used to. But the important thing is the traditions will be kept in some way."
TODAY's Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb hosted last year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, with Savannah soldiering on despite still recovering from a tear in her retina and a loss of vision as a result of a freak accident a week earlier that ultimately required multiple surgeries.
Last year's parade also featured the hilarious "confrontation" between TODAY's Al Roker and a man dressed like a stick of butter, which clearly came well before the age of social distancing.
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