What to know: Philly’s 2025 Thanksgiving Day Parade

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — America’s original Thanksgiving Day Parade returns for its 106th edition Thursday, bringing music and entertainment to the Parkway and TVs across the region.

Singers, dancers, marching bands and more will descend on Center City starting at 9 a.m., with the parade wrapping up with the arrival of Santa Claus and the beginning of the holiday shopping season.

This year's parade theme is “Holiday Magic,” and organizers say it takes a lot of work to make the televised parade appear. Co-producer Todd Marcocci said there are nearly 1,000 volunteers alone.

“This year, we have so many more balloons than normal, and we pray that the winds are great,” Marcocci said. “But just in balloon handlers alone, we have over 500 volunteers there, and then when you put in the executive volunteers and then the people checking people in hotels at 3 in the morning, the volunteers getting the costumes on…”

Of course, it wouldn’t be a parade without marching bands. A dozen bands will march down the streets, and they’re trying something new to improve the audience experience along the route: 11 of the bands will stop for a couple of minutes at a time and play directly to the spectators at various spots.

Marcocci said one band in particular excites him.

“Philadelphia really hasn't had a high school marching band for decades,” he said, “and the efforts that are happening at West Philly and Dobbins High Schools combining together to create the Philly All-Star Band is really phenomenal.”

The parade kicks off with an opening number at 9 a.m. with an on-air pre-parade special starting at 8:30 a.m. Floats will head down the parade route from 20th Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard, wrapping through Center City before ending in front of the Art Museum.

The parade is free and family-friendly, with appearances from celebrities and newsmakers catering to all ages. Bring a jacket if you’re planning on standing along the route: the AccuWeather forecast says we’re in for a chilly day Thursday, with the high topping out at 46 degrees.

Music comes from a couple of “American Idol” alumni in Jordin Sparks and David Archuleta, plus legendary vocal group The Four Tops, and many more. There are performances from several musicals visiting Philly this year, including “Back to the Future: The Musical” and “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.” That's in addition to marching bands from as far as Indiana joining those from Philly and the suburbs to fill the air with sound.

Non-musical celebrities will be in abundance, too. While the show mostly shoots out of Los Angeles, the cast of “Abbott Elementary” has become hometown heroes for Philadelphia, and they’ll be on scene to celebrate. They’ll be joined by Monday Night Football announcers Troy Aikman and Joe Buck, “American Idol” and “Wheel of Fortune” host Ryan Seacrest, and Seacrest’s “Wheel” collaborator Vanna White.

For those who don’t want to make the trip down to the Parkway, the whole show will be broadcast live on 6abc, Hulu, and ABC News Live.

– Eakins Oval between Kelly Drive and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive will close for street rehearsals from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and again at 6:30 p.m. until the end of the parade.

– Inner lanes of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway will close at 4 p.m. from 21st Street to 20th Street until the conclusion of the parade.

– At 7 p.m., inbound lanes of John F. Kennedy Boulevard, from 20th Street to 30th Street, will be closed to vehicular traffic until the end of the parade.

– Outbound lanes of John F. Kennedy Boulevard, from 20th Street to 30th Street Station, will also be closed to vehicular traffic from 8 p.m. until the end of the parade.

– JFK Boulevard, from 30th Street to 16th Street, will be closed to vehicular traffic starting at midnight.

– 20th Street, from Ben Franklin Parkway to Race Street, will close at 2 a.m. 20th Street will reopen at 11 a.m.

– Market Street, from 19th Street to 20th Street, will also close at 2 a.m. and stay closed until the parade ends.

– 20th Street from JFK Boulevard to Arch Street will be closed starting at 5 a.m.

– 20th Street, from Market Street to Ben Franklin Parkway, will close an hour later at 6 a.m.

– Market Street, from 19th Street to 22nd Street, will also close at 6 a.m.

– Kelly Drive, from Sedgley Drive to Eakins Oval, will be closed starting at 7 a.m.

– Any sections of the parade route not already closed will do so at 7:30 a.m.

Aside from the section of 20th Street from Race to the Parkway, roads will reopen after the end of the parade. The city says they will service and clean each road before reopening as they are ready. Roads will be open no later than 3 p.m.

Roads along and near the route will have temporary no-parking signs posted starting Wednesday at 6 p.m. The city says to avoid parking in the following areas:

– JFK Blvd. from 19th Street to 30th Street (both sides)

– 20th Street from Market Street to Ben Franklin Parkway (both sides)

– Arch Street from 19th Street to 22nd Street (both sides)

– Race Street between 16th Street and 17th Street (both sides)

– 17th Street from Vine Street to Race Street (both sides)

– Vine Street from 15th Street to 17th Street (eastbound lanes)

– Market Street from 19th Street to 22nd Street (both sides)

– Paschall Avenue from 62nd Street to 63rd Street (both sides)

Anyone parking along those areas will be “courtesy towed” by the city.

SEPTA will operate on a Sunday schedule all day, with major detours affecting about a dozen routes in Center City. The full list of affected routes is on SEPTA’s website.