The Houston Thanksgiving Day parade lowdown

• The parade kicks off at 9am Thursday.

What to expect: Rockets legends Rudy Tomjanovich and Calvin Murphy will be co-grand marshals alongside Turner.

• Dozens of participants will march down 20 downtown blocks, including the TSU Ocean of Soul marching band, singer JenniP and Houston's favorite mascot — Orbit.
• There will be several street closures starting at 6am near the parade route. All streets are expected to reopen by 3pm.
• The parade is free, but there are a limited number of seats available for $25 that must be purchased online.

Of note: This parade is one of the oldest Thanksgiving Day parades in the country. It began in 1949 when Santa arrived at Union Station and rode his sleigh to the downtown Foley's department store.

What they're saying: "The parade is symbolic of our resilience as a city, and we have highlighted the most incredible talent, floats, and marching bands in the history of the parade and have taken it to a new level of excellence," Turner said in a statement. "I am thrilled to host this treasured holiday tradition and am thankful for the progress this city has made over the years."

Flashback: Last year's parade was its first time back since the beginning of the pandemic, and rapper and newly minted Houstonian 50 Cent led the festivities.

How to watch: KHOU will stream the parade on air and online.