A gigantic Elmo balloon is seen in the America's Thanksgiving Day parade in Detroit. -- Photos special to Sun Media

Are there still plane seats available for Thanksgiving?

Canadians can join the parade and shop till they drop alongside their Michigan neighbours on the craziest shopping day of the year.

Detroit's downtown streets will be packed next Thursday for the 80th annual edition of America's Thanksgiving Day parade.

It's a holiday tradition as one of America's oldest and most celebrated parades attracts more than a million people for a "larger-than-life spectacle."

A day later, hordes of shoppers will battle it out at the malls during the wackiest, most frenzied U.S. retailing day of the year.

Want to join the fun?

The two-hour parade, which begins at 9.20 a.m., will have 75 floats and giant balloons of animals, storybook characters and toys, marching bands, clowns and horses.

Entertainers will include rhythm and blues singer Cassie, the Contours' legendary Motown act and pop-rocker Andrew WK.

The star of the show, though, will be Santa Claus, to usher in the holiday season.

The 2.5-kilometre route is a throwback to the original in 1924, travelling along Woodward Avenue from Mack to Congress. It passes some of the city's architectural treasures, such as the Fox Theater, and new developments such as Merchants Row, Compuware world headquarters and Campus Martius Park, where there's ice skating.

Snow globes are the seasonal display at three Metro Detroit shopping malls this year.

Detroit Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom is the grand marshal, in honour of the NHL team's 80th anniversary.

To celebrate the milestone, 80,000 gifts containing coupons and prizes from sponsors will be handed out.

There are even close-and-comfortable grandstand seats available -- they sell quickly -- and other pre-parade events. These are marathons: the Mashed Potato Mile; Turkey Trot, with runners in festive attire; and the new Stuffing Strut, from the Cobo Center on Washington Boulevard.

There's also Holidays On Parade, a family event organized by The Parade Co. and Radio Disney, at the Michigan State fair grounds next Friday through Sunday.

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Santa Claus takes top billing in Detroit's 80th annual America's Thanksgiving Day parade.

Then, get ready to shop.

To mark the holidays, three "malls" will feature an Antarctic winter wonderland with Snow Globes from the new Warner Bros. comedy movie Happy Feet, set in the land of the emperor penguins.

It's at the Taubman Centers' suburban Detroit shopping complexes -- Great Lakes Crossing (Auburn Hills), Fairlane Town Center (Dearborn) and Twelve Oaks Mall (Novi).

This includes a walk-through snow globe with a cold blast and falling snow at the home of Mumble, the movie's tap-dancing penguin. Inside the globe are life-sized sculptures of characters and music from the movie soundtrack.

Great Lakes Crossing, billed as Michigan's first indoor regional "value-shopping centre and entertainment venue," is a hit with Canadians.

Its 200 shops, restaurants and entertainment spots are laid out on a single-level, racetrack design. There are department stores, manufacturer outlets, themed restaurants, a 1,000-seat food court and a 25-screen megaplex theatre.

"We have seen a tremendous growth in our Canadian traffic in the past year," said the mall's Melissa Morang.

Helped along by a stronger Canadian dollar, Ontario shoppers are seeking stores they don't have at home, the huge variety, low prices and entertainment, she added. For even more deals, the mall offers a visitor's savings pass.

Check out the Pistons Holiday Village with NBA players, Automotion dance team and WorkForce cheer/ stunt team, antics of the Palace Patrol and Hooper the Mascot.

At the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel is the GM Renaissance Center that's dressed for the holidays with a "Santa station" at GM World, along with displays of autos.

Santa arrives next Thursday at 11 a.m. to a big welcome and his elves will be giving away gifts including 3-D glasses and candy.

Shoppers receive a free gift with purchases of $25 and more, while there's free wrapping in the Fashion Plaza.

Valet parking is available at the GM Wintergarden, Jefferson Plaza, Seldom Blues restaurant and the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center Hotel entrances.

IF YOU GO

- Detroit Thanksgiving parade: For full information on the parade, driving and parking: www.theparade.org; (313) 923-7400. Grandstand seats are $22, $27 and $45 US.

- Turkey Trot: Full details are at www.detroitturkeytrot.org; (313) 247-4149.

- Great Lakes Crossing: Located at Interstate 75 and Baldwin Road, in Auburn Hills, it has extended hours next Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Details about stores and directions: www.shopgreatlakescrossing.com

- To plan a Metro Detroit getaway, contact the Convention and Visitors Bureau: www.visitdetroit.com; 1-800-DETROIT (338-7648).