Families bundled up on Thursday to cheer as the 75th annual Thanksgiving Day parade rolled through the streets of downtown Houston.  Mayor John Whitmire and nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis,

The procession starts at 9 a.m. and takes place in downtown Houston. This year, organizers expect 250,000 people to line the streets. The parade is planned to go through 20 blocks and feature 19 floats, eight performances, six marching bands and 21 high-flying balloons according to Susan Christian, Director of the Mayor’s Office Special Events.

Road closures for the parade began on Tuesday for the staging of the parade floats. Get news, weather and so much more on the new FOX LOCAL app. The parade begins at Smith Street

From how the parade began to its route, here are a couple of things you should know if you plan on going to the Thanksgiving Day parade.