NBC host Al Roker joined Macy's executives Robin Hall and Amy Kule just moments before they cut the ribbon to start the 85th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
9:00 AM
As the first band in this year's parade, Macy's Great American Marching Band is at attention and ready to step off.
9:01 AM
Good weather helped draw an ENORMOUS crowd. Intersections are filled nearly half-way down the block ... probably 50 people deep!
9:09 AM
Music education advocate Bob McGrath enters the parade riding on the Sesame Street float. McGrath said he remembered his Marching.com interview from 2009 and in fact he had just recently re-read the article. (See: Bob McGrath inspires generations through music.)
9:14 AM
Dobyns-Bennett is setting its formation in the street while a Macy's official double-checks the order of appearance.
9:15 AM
Dobyns-Bennett has entered the parade and Buzz Lightyear is ready to follow. The band earned immediate applause by stepping off to music. No cadence ... they played music right off the line.
9:17 AM
As Dobyns-Bennett passes NBC's starting line broadcast booth, Al Roker captures video on a smartphone while Elle Macpherson looks on.
9:22 AM
Remo provided custom drum heads with the Macy's theme logo to each marching band.
9:27 AM
Wow. Every intersection is absolutely filled with spectators. Now we know what 3.5 million people looks like.
8:57 AM
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