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How to Watch Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2020 Online Without Cable

The Green Eggs and Ham balloon floats low down the parade route during the 93rd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 28, 2019

Getty The Green Eggs and Ham balloon floats low down the parade route during the 93rd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 28, 2019

No, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is not canceled during the COVID-19 global pandemic — but it will look a little different this year. The reimagined celebration airs live Thursday, November 26 from 9 a.m. to noon in all timezones on NBC.

If you don’t have cable, here’s how you can watch the 2020 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade online for free:

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FuboTV

You can watch a live stream of NBC (live in most markets) and 100-plus other TV channels on FuboTV, which you can use for free with a seven-day trial right here:

FuboTV Free Trial

Once signed up for FuboTV, you can watch the 2020 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade live on the FuboTV app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV, or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, Samsung Smart TV, Android TV, 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 new shows on-demand within three days (and sometimes longer) of their conclusion, even if you don’t record them.


Hulu With Live TV

You can watch a live stream of NBC (live in most markets) and 65+ other TV channels via Hulu With Live TV, which you can try out for free with a seven-day trial:

Hulu With Live TV Free Trial

Once signed up for Hulu With Live TV, you can watch the 2020 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade live on the Hulu app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV, or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, Android TV, iPhone, Android phone, iPad, or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the Hulu website.

If you can’t watch live, Hulu with Live TV comes with both its extensive on-demand library (which includes most shows after they air) and 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of DVR space and the ability to fast forward through commercials).


Sling TV

You can watch a live stream of NBC (live in select markets) and 40-plus other TV channels via Sling TV’s “Sling Blue” bundle. It comes with a free 3-day trial, but if you bypass that, you can get it for $20 for the first month (normally $30), and get Showtime, Starz and Epix included for free:

Get Sling TV

Once signed up for Sling TV, you can watch the 2020 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade live on the Sling TV app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV, Android TV, airTV Mini, Oculus, Portal, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the Sling TV website.

If you can’t watch live, Sling TV comes included with 10 hours of cloud DVR.


2020 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Preview

The 2020 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will look a bit different during its 94th year, with the tradition being reimagined in the form of a celebration that will safely bring the magic of the parade to Herald Square with giant floats and Broadway performers as families watch from the comfort of their homes.

Health and safety continue to be Macy’s number one priority. In partnership with local and state government, the Parade was modified to avoid gathering crowds. In addition, Macy’s put in place robust health measures across all areas of the production. In constant communication with government agency partners, several contingency plans were developed. This allows the production to adjust plans based on the evolving environment and any subsequent restrictions, helping to ensure the health and safety of all involved.

As part of Macy’s comprehensive health and wellness plan, below is a sampling of the current safety procedures and enhancements being implemented. They include, but are not limited to, the following:

The traditional 2.5-mile Parade route will not be utilized this year, the only way to view the celebration is on television. All participants, staff and performers will be tested for COVID-19 and undergo wellness checks prior to their Parade participation. All participants will be appropriately socially distanced during staging and performances, and required to wear face coverings; additional personal protective protocols will be implemented based on the participant’s role.

The overall number of participants have now been reduced by approximately 88 percent, and split over three days. No participant in the Parade is under 18 years of age. The majority of Parade participants hail from the New York tri-state area. Previously selected regional High School and College Marching Band performances were deferred to the 2021 Macy’s Parade, with locally-based cultural and professional marching and musical ensembles taking over performance duties in the lineup. A minute selection of elements will be showcased on television from previous Parade appearances.

A selection of Macy’s signature giant character balloons will be flown without the traditional 80-100 handlers and instead employ an innovative, specially rigged anchor vehicle framework of five specialty vehicles tested and approved by the NYC Department of Transportation and the NYPD. Macy’s traditional Giant Balloon Inflation public event in New York City, the evening before Thanksgiving, will not take place.

The 94th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade airs live Thursday, November 26 from 9 a.m. to noon in all timezones, followed by an encore presentation from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on NBC.

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