Bright and early on Turkey Day, the people of Chicago turn out every year to experience a long-standing annual tradition, the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade. It kicks off at 8 a.m. along State Street, stretching from Congress to Randolph. Over the next three hours, tons of festive performers stream down the street in honor of the holiday.

Many of those performers are local folks, playing instruments or dancing their way down State. Some are dressed up as movie characters or riding themed floats. Of course, some of the morning’s biggest characters are floating overhead. The massive balloons that bounce between State Street’s skyscrapers always tend to steal the show at the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade. Grab a good viewing spot on the sidewalk bright and early, or tune in to the parade on your TV while you start preparing the Thanksgiving feast.