The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City is typically attended by about 3.5 millions spectators who line the sidewalks waiting to see giant character balloons float by. However, this year the celebration will be very different.

On Monday, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the department store will forgo a live parade for a virtual holiday experience. Deadline reported that de Blasio revealed the parade will be available to be viewed online and on TV.

“It will not be the same parade we’re used to,” he said.

“It will be a different kind of event. They’re reinventing the event for this moment in history, and you’ll be able to feel the spirit and the joy of that day on television, online.”

Although there won’t be a live parade, de Blasio is hoping the virtual event turns out to be “something that will really give us that warmth and that great feeling we have on Thanksgiving day.”

An announcement on the site revealed the parade has been reimagined in order to follow the safety guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic. “The 94th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be modified to safely bring magic to more than 50 million viewers nationwide on Thanksgiving Day,”

“This year’s celebration will shift to a television-only experience while maintaining the spectacle and wonder of this cherished tradition.”

The retailer is inviting the public to tune into the event to “watch the Parade’s signature mix of giant character balloons, floats, street performers, clowns, and the heralding of the holiday season with the one and only Santa Claus!”

The 94th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will air on Thursday, Nov. 26 at 9 a.m. EDT on NBC.

Macy's Thanksgiving Parade
The Pillsbury Doughboy balloon floats on Sixth Avenue during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 27, 2014, in New York City. Getty Images
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