Last year, the big worry for Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was the wind. This year, it's the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. But the show must go on, sans crowds, and Americans will be able to watch the parade from home on Thanksgiving.

Some of the parade, including dances and performances, was pre-taped on Wednesday, and photos show a sneak peek of what audiences can expect on Thursday.

(MORE: Thanksgiving Travel Resumes Against CDC Warnings)

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Though New York City's St. Patrick's Day Parade, Pride March and the Puerto Rican Day Parade were all canceled this year due to COVID-19, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is proceeding, but just for one block to discourage groups of onlookers, and the performers and balloon handlers have been massively scaled down. The New York Times reported that the number of balloon handlers are down to 130, but normal years have seen more than 2,000 handlers. The balloons have been reduced from 16 to 12, and floats are down to 18 from 26. The loss of so many handlers will be offset by utility vehicles bearing the load of each balloon.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has only ever been canceled three times since 1924. All three canceled years were due to World War II. The rubber intended for the balloons were donated to the war effort.

Click through the slideshow above to see a preview of this year's pandemic-friendly Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

MORE FROM WEATHER.COM: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: A Look Back

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