NEW YORK – A high-kicking Kung Fu Panda and a diary-toting Wimpy Kid joined the giant balloon lineup as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade unfolded Thursday, drawing tens of thousands of spectators to the annual extravaganza on a chilly, overcast morning.
Emily Rowlinson, a tourist from London, squealed and snapped pictures with her cell phone as the massive Smurf balloon floated by a packed sidewalk along the route.
"We don't have anything like this in England," she exclaimed. "We have parades. We don't have any sort of huge, floating beasts. It's very cool."
As millions more watched the live broadcast on television, revelers gathered nationwide for other parades in cities such as Detroit, Chicago and Philadelphia. The parades headline observances across the nation that also feature football and family dinners with too much food on the table.
In his weekly radio and Internet address, President Barack Obama called on Americans to help each other through tough times.
"This is not the hardest Thanksgiving America has ever faced," Obama said. "But as long as many members of our American family are hurting, we've got to look out for one another."
He later telephoned ten U.S. servicemen and women stationed around the world to thank them for their service and sacrifice. He wished them and their families a happy Thanksgiving, before joining his own for the holiday.
The Macy's parade featured an eclectic lineup of entertainers including Kanye West, Gladys Knight and Colombian rocker Juanes. The Broadway casts of "American Idiot" and "Elf" performed, along with marching bands from across the United States.
Perched on her father's shoulders, 16-month-old Stella Laracque wriggled and danced with excitement as SpongeBob SquarePants, Hello Kitty, Shrek and other beloved figures wafted past her.
"She doesn't really know the characters, but she's loving it," said her father, Mike Laracque of Manhattan.
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