Comment on Houston parade draws thousands

Thousands of people are lining the chilly streets of downtown Houston to watch the annual Thanksgiving Day parade full of marching bands, floats and giant helium-filled balloons with figures like Dilly the Dinosaur and Frosty the Snowman. The parade is taking place under bright blue skies and a festive atmosphere, even though many of the families lining the parade route arrived at 7 a.m.--two hours before the official starting time.