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The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is as big an American tradition as watching Thanksgiving football games while you're diving into a banquet full of holiday delights, and it's one of the oldest. Extravagant floats, boisterous marching bands, and ballooned caricatures of cartoon icons will proceed through the streets of New York City. The spectacle draws hundreds of thousands of in-person viewers annually, but many more tune in from the comfort of their homes. If that's your plan, we'll show you how to watch a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade live stream below.
The parade begins promptly at 8:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, November 28, and is expected to run through noon. NBC and Peacock have your back for remote viewing. Keep reading for all the details you'll need to tune in, plus our top VPN recommendation for accessing Peacock if you're not in the United States when the parade starts.
Don't worry if you're not available for that 8:30 a.m. start, as the parade will be repeated on NBC/Peacock later in the day at 2 p.m. ET. Keep reading to learn how to tune in, and make sure to check out some of our early Black Friday deals coverage for savings you can shop right now.
How to watch Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in the US
NBC is broadcasting the 2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade nationally. If you can't tune in with your TV antenna or cable box, you can live stream the parade using NBC's Peacock streaming service. Subscriptions start at just $7.99 per month, but you can upgrade for more perks for $13.99 per month. Our Peacock streaming guide has everything you might need to know.
Peacock is a convenient streaming source for hit NBC TV shows, Universal movies, and select sports like Sunday Night Football. Prices start at $8 a month, with additional discounts on annual plans.
How to watch Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade from anywhere
If you're not in the United States during the parade, you won't be able to access Peacock without a bit of help. A VPN can help circumvent the geographical block, but you'll need a US payment method and postal code to get through the door. Short for a virtual private network, a VPN allows you to connect to global servers to access websites that would otherwise be unavailable in your region. It also secures your network activity with top-grade encryption.
Don't have a VPN? The best VPN we've tested and used for years is ExpressVPN. It's great for streaming from international sources and also beefs up your online security. If you run into trouble, you'll want to be aware of ExpressVPN's 30-day money-back guarantee. You can request a refund at any time within the introductory period, no questions asked. Insider's ExpressVPN review lays out everything you need to know about the service and all its benefits.
With its consistent performance, reliable security, and expansive global streaming features, ExpressVPN is the best VPN out there, excelling in every spec and offering many advanced features that makes it exceptional. Better yet, you can save up to 49% and get an extra three months for free today.
How to watch Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with a VPN
- Sign up for a VPN if you don't have one.
- Install it on the device you're using to watch the movie.
- Turn it on and set it to a US location.
- Go to Peacock and sign up for an account with a US payment method.
- Watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.
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