Macy's Parade readies to light up NY's 6th Avenue for 90th time

Giant balloons will float above New York City's 6th Avenue on Thursday morning in the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, set to take place for the 90th year.

Online retailer Ebates estimated the cost for a brand to put a balloon in the parade at between $90,000 and $190,000. Macy's would not divulge any costs associated with the parade. Sinclair declined to say how much it paid but described the balloon investment at the "higher end" of what brands usually pay.

The parade is annually among the most-watched non-sporting events, with NBC drawing more than 22 million viewers last year.

This year, NBC is partnering with Verizon Communications Inc to stream the parade for the first time on Verizon's YouTube page. The parade also attracts more than 3 million people who line the streets of Manhattan.

Major brands participating in the parade include Sinclair Oil, known for its giant green dinosaur balloon, as well as Mattel, Saban Brands. Japanese toy company Sanrio will fly the Hello Kitty balloon.