New York ( CNN ) -- The Macy 's Thanksgiving Day Parade , as much a holiday tradition as turkey , football and dinner table debates , celebrated its 85th anniversary with a host of new floats and balloons that began making their way down New York City 's streets Thursday morning . Making its return after an 18-year absence is Sonic the Hedgehog . He joins a 41-foot-tall Julius the monkey ; an eagerly-anticipated newcomer , `` B , '' a pointy-toothed , stitched-face creation from filmmaker Tim Burton ; and the Aflac Duck Balloonicle -- a balloon on wheels . Rounding out the newbies are Gazer the Elf and Harold the Policeman . `` It 's amazing to see them come to life , '' Amy Kule , the parade 's executive producer , told CNN affiliate WABC . `` They start off as ideas in your head , they become a drawing on a piece of paper . And then miraculously , the magicians at the Macy 's parade studio build them and bring them to life . '' In all , more than 50 balloons will grace the Manhattan sky during the parade . Forecasters predict sunny skies and 10 mph winds , good news for the predicted 3.5 million people along the parade route . Another 50 million are expected to watch from home as more than 1,600 cheerleaders , two dozen floats , 11 marching bands and , of course , Santa Claus saunter by . Singers Cee Lo Green and Mary J. Blige are among the scheduled performers . CNN 's Chris Kokenes contributed to this report .
Among the new additions are an eagerly-anticipated Tim Burton creation . Forecasters predict sunny skies . The first of two films in a trilogy that began with “Alice In Wonderland” and ended with “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” this sequel is expected to be one of Disney’s biggest hits ever.