Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade

This is the oldest parade of its kind in the country (take that, Macy’s). Starting at 20th and Market streets and promenading along Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the 1.4-mile procession includes lively floats and gigantic balloons that make their way along the route, stopping once in a while for spectators to have a good peek—or to give celebrity guests a chance to belt out a holiday tune. The spectacle ends with the arrival of Santa, a sure-fire sign that Christmas is just around the corner.