New York City's big Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will take place amid frigid cold and strong winds that could potentially ground the giant character balloons, which have caused mishaps and injuries in the past when gusts have blown them off course.

New York City issued an extreme cold weather alert for Thursday and urged anyone going outside to wear hats, scarves, gloves and layered clothing and to keep their fingertips, earlobes, and noses covered to prevent frostbite.

In addition to giant balloons of Charlie Brown, The Grinch and others, the parade features about 8,000 marchers, performances from singers such as Diana Ross, John Legend and Martina McBride, two-dozen floats and a finale with Santa Claus.

Franky, a 6-year-old German shepherd, and three other explosive odor pursuit dogs are working their first Thanksgiving Day parade after impressing police officials at a trial run in New York City last winter.

In addition to giant balloons of Charlie Brown, The Grinch and others, the parade features about 8,000 marchers, including high school bands and pop singers, and two-dozen floats culminating with the arrival of Santa Claus.

Spectators lined up as many as 15 deep in some places last year, and four activists briefly disrupted things when they jumped over barriers and sat down in the street to protest changes in U.S. immigration policy.