Traditionally, CBS does its own broadcast of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade that includes performances by Broadway’s hottest shows. This year’s special will air on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 25 at 9 a.m. ET/PT
If you don’t have cable, here are several different ways you can watch a live stream of the 2021 CBS Thanksgiving Day Parade online for free:
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Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime subscribers (Prime comes with a 30-day free trial) can watch a live stream of their local CBS station via the Prime Paramount+ channel (“Premium” plan). You can try both Amazon Prime and the Paramount+ Channel at no cost with a free trial right here:
Once you’re signed up for the Prime Paramount+ Channel, you can watch the 2021 CBS Thanksgiving Day Parade live on the Amazon Video app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, various smart TV’s, Xiaomi, Echo Show or Echo Spot, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch on your computer via the Amazon website.
FuboTV
You can watch a live stream of CBS (live in most markets) and 100-plus other live TV channels on FuboTV, which comes with a free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for FuboTV, you can watch the 2021 CBS Thanksgiving Day Parade live on the FuboTV app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the FuboTV website.
If you can’t watch live, FuboTV comes with 250 hours of cloud DVR space, as well as a 72-hour look-back feature, which allows you to watch most shows on-demand within three days (and sometimes longer) of their conclusion, even if you don’t record them.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream (formerly AT&T TV) has four different channel packages: “Entertainment,” “Choice,” “Ultimate” and “Premier.” CBS (live in most markets) is included in every one, but you can pick any package and any add-on you want with your free 14-day trial.
Note that the free trial isn’t advertised as such, but your “due today” amount will be $0 when signing up. If you watch on your computer, phone or tablet, you won’t be charged for 14 days. If you watch on a streaming device on your TV (Roku, Fire Stick, Apple TV, etc.), you will be charged for the first month, but you can get still get a full refund if you cancel before 14 days:
Once signed up for DirecTV Stream, you can watch the 2021 CBS Thanksgiving Day Parade live on the DirecTV Stream app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the DirecTV Stream website.
If you can’t watch live, DirecTV Stream also comes with 20 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to unlimited hours).
Paramount+
This is ultimately the same as the Amazon Prime option above, only you’ll watch on Paramount’s digital platforms instead of Amazon’s. You can watch your local CBS channel live via Paramount+ (“Premium” plan), which comes with a free trial:
Once signed up for Paramount+, you can watch the 2021 CBS Thanksgiving Day Parade live on the Paramount+ app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Samsung Smart TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch on your computer via the Paramount+ website.
CBS Thanksgiving Day Parade 2021 Preview
Hosted by “Entertainment Tonight’s” Kevin Frazier and Keltie Knight, the CBS broadcast of the 95th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade takes viewers “on a tour of the most popular balloons and floats including the iconic Santa Claus. Also, the show will feature musical performances and celebrity interviews.”
Performances include the Broadcast casts of “Waitress” and “Chicago,” plus appearances by some of CBS’ hottest stars: Laya DeLeon Hayes from “The Equalizer,” Wilson Cruz and Anthony Rapp from “Star Trek: Discovery,” and Broadway star Erich Bergen.
In a 2019 interview ahead of co-hosting, Knight told CBS Los Angeles that she and Frazier have so much fun together hosting the parade.
“We are the funniest, most ridiculous two people on the planet,” said Knight. “The show never stops and we just have this amazing chemistry and a friendship that is so deep. When we have these events together, we have such a good time.”
She also said that watching the kids who travel from all over the country to perform in the parade “warms [her] heart.”
“I grew up in rural Canada without fancy Hollywood parents and somehow made my way into this job,” said Knight. “When I look out and see the parents lining these streets, the big balloons and celebrities are fabulous, but then you see these amazing marching bands from schools all over the nation. You know the hard work that went into those kids fundraising to be here and rehearsing like crazy. It’s such a big deal. You see the pride in these kids’ faces and that really warms my heart.”
Similarly, in a 2018 interview with Parents, Frazier said that he still pinches himself when he gets to host the Thanksgiving Day Parade.
“I’m still a little kid at heart, and I still get geeked up when I hear the bands and watch the balloons go by, so every year when it comes around and they say, ‘Are you ready for the parade?’ I still pinch myself. It is one of the magical things that happens in my life,” said Frazier, adding that he does make time to celebrate Thanksgiving, but just not quite the same way as everyone else.
“Work is part of life, so what I’ve tried to do in the past is celebrate Thanksgiving the next day or on the weekend to make sure there’s a chance for everybody to come together,” said the reporter.
The CBS Thanksgiving Day Parade airs Thursday, November 25 at 9 a.m. Eastern and Pacific on CBS.