10 things to know if you’re headed to Charlotte’s Thanksgiving parade

The Novant Health Thanksgiving Day Parade, the fourth-largest Thanksgiving Day parade in the country by attendance, kicks off early Thursday in uptown Charlotte.

Last year, more than 100,000 people lined the 1-mile route along Tryon Street. Organizers expect even more spectators will turn out this time to see floats, bands, performances, balloons and more. And don’t worry about the weather – the parade will happen, rain or shine.

Because of the large crowd expected – and the recent terrorist attacks in Paris, Beirut and Mali – spectators could notice more police officers keeping a watch along the parade route, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Deputy Chief Jeff Estes said at a news conference Tuesday.

The city designated the parade an extraordinary event, which broadens the scope for officers to search bags and backpacks of spectators if they see anything suspicious, Estes said.

“Unfortunately, worldwide events have made it necessary for us whenever we have a large gathering of people in public – particularly where people aren’t being checked to enter – to do due diligence to provide as safe an environment as we can,” Estes said.

He said police have received no “credible threats” for the parade but urged spectators to alert a police officer if they see anything suspicious. “Nothing is out of bounds,” Estes said.

If you plan to make the parade a part of your Thanksgiving Day festivities, here are some things you’ll want to know:

1. The parade begins at 9:30 a.m. Thursday and travels along Tryon Street from Stonewall to Ninth Street. Organizers suggest getting there an hour or so early for the best seats. The official performance area will be at the intersection of Tryon Street and Levine Avenue of the Arts, but many of the bands and entertainers will be performing throughout the route.

2. Plenty of parking is available all around the parade venue. Check out a map of parking lots and decks ahead of time at www.novanthealththanksgivingparade.com or on the parade app.

3. Beware of street closures and plan your route accordingly. Tryon Street between Martin Luther King Boulevard and Morehead Street will close at 6 p.m. Wednesday. The closures will extend to Tryon between MLK and 10th Street the next morning. The road will reopen at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

4. The parade has been declared an extraordinary event by the city of Charlotte, which expands officers’ authority to search people near the parade route.

5. There’s a new app in town. Download the Novant Thanksgiving Day Parade app (available on Android and iOS) to get the most up-to-date info on parade happenings and to interact with social media.

6. Lawn and camp chairs are allowed. And there will be food vendors and Port-a-Johns will be scattered along the parade route.

7. As per tradition, Santa Claus will close out the parade. But don’t look for him on his sleigh. He will be riding on the workshop float, putting finishing touches on the toys. After all, Christmas is less than a month away.

8. The parade will feature seven high school marching bands, 12 balloons, 21 floats and seven “Segwalloons,” signature balloon characters attached to Segways.

9. If you’re the one in the family left behind to cook the turkey or if you just want to experience all the excitement again, the parade will be aired on WBTV Thanksgiving afternoon and again on Christmas Day. It will also be available on Time Warner On Demand.

10. Can’t wait until Thanksgiving? Check out a special parade preview party at 7 p.m. Wednesday on Tryon Street between Stonewall and Levine Avenue of the Arts, complete with a dance party, the Tennessee State University Marching Band and more. April Bethea and David Perlmutt contributed.

This story was originally published November 24, 2015 at 9:53 AM with the headline "10 things to know if you’re headed to Charlotte’s Thanksgiving parade."