Cher, Jon Batiste and other stars set to perform at 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

It’s a good morning as it’s time for Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. From Snoopy to SpongeBob, New York City was full of people and cartoons as the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade ushered in the holiday season. The parade started on Manhattan's Upper West Side making its way alongside Central Park in front of big crowds and a national television audience before ending in front of Macy's flagship store on 34th Street.

Among the big names performing is Cher, who just released her first Christmas album. Cher will perform towards the end of the parade. Other celebrities and musical groups taking part include Jon Batiste, Bell Biv DeVoe, Brandy, Jessie James Decker, Pentatonix and Miss America 2023 Grace Stanke.

The parade also includes performances from the casts of some Broadway shows. The parade was briefly disrupted when about a half-dozen protesters in jumpsuits covered in fake blood glued themselves to the street just in front of a float carrying characters from the fast food giant McDonald's. They carried a banner that said “Free Palestine” and “Genocide then. Genocide now" and were taken into custody.

President Joe Biden and his wife Jill called NBC during the parade. The president said that we have a lot to be thankful for, “We’re the greatest nation in the world. We should focus on that. We should focus on dealing with our problems and stop the rancor.”