Thanksgiving Day Parades: Best of the Balloons

The popular Macy’s parade in New York, attended by more than 3 million people and watched by 50 million on TV, included such giant balloons as Elf on a Shelf and Papa Smurf, a new version of Hello Kitty, Buzz Lightyear, Sailor Mickey Mouse and the Pillsbury Doughboy. Real-life stars included singer Carly Rae Jepsen and Rachel Crow of “The X Factor.” Across the country, parades in other cities, including Philadelphia and Detroit, were enjoyed by tens of thousands of people who lined the streets to watch marching bands and giant balloons. Photos by Charles Sykes/Associated Press.