Families bundled up on Thursday to cheer as the 75th annual Thanksgiving Day parade rolled through the streets of downtown Houston.  Mayor John Whitmire and nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis,

Floats, bands, dancers, balloons and more will take to the streets of Downtown Houston on Thursday for the 75th annual H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade.

From how the parade began to its route, here are a couple of things you should know if you plan on going to the Thanksgiving Day parade.

Visitors saw a variety of local elected officials and organizations represented in the annual parade, along with characters such as Cinderella and the Grinch.

Road closures for the parade began on Tuesday for the staging of the parade floats. The parade begins at Smith Street and Lamar Street and will traverse more than 20 blocks, coming to an end at Smith and Dallas. Also, the Mayor's Office has shared what roads will be closed for the holiday event.

The 75th Houston Thanksgiving parade will showcase floats, marching bands, balloons and Olympic legend Carl Lewis serving as Grand Marshal.

FOX 26's Nate Griffin gives us a look at the preparations ahead of the H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade in Downtown Houston.

Cluck cluck, it's time for the 75th annual H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade. State of play: Nine-time Olympic gold medalist and track and field star Carl Lewis will lead the 2024 parade, kicking off at 9am Thursday in downtown Houston.

The procession starts at 9 a.m. and takes place in downtown Houston. This year, organizers expect 250,000 people to line the streets. The parade is planned to go through 20 blocks and feature 19 floats, eight performances, six marching bands and 21 high-flying balloons according to Susan Christian, Director of the Mayor’s Office Special Events.

What Houston grocery stores and pharmacies are open on Thanksgiving this year? Here are store hours for H-E-B, CVS, Walgreens and more today.