Daily News from New York, New York • 2

'I ayffer 7 if i- We've seen this on TV all our lives, and now it's our turn," band member Emmanuel Velez, 16, told The News. The parade featured 12 giant character balloons, 2,000 cheerleaders, the Radio City Rockettes and 1 1 marching bands, including the Virginia Tech Regimental Band. The band marched in missing man formation in honor of former member Matt La Porte, one of 32 people killed during a shooting rampage on campus April 16. Along the route, adult spectators and even a few cops stood on their tiptoes to snap cell phone pictures of old favorite Kermit winding down Broadway. Children hollered for the new balloons, like Abby Cadabby from "Sesame Street," as well as more familiar faces.

"Scooby Dooby Doo! I love you!" howled Miles Pinnock, 6, of Harlem. Juliette Giorgio of Garden City, L.I., and her son, Chris, 8, had the same favorite his dad, Lt. Tony Giorgio, director of the NYPD marching band. "Today is a glorious day," Juliette Giorgio said. "It's the perfect parade day." cmeagonycfaynews.com Til fM BY CARRIE MELAGO DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER GIANT balloons, hundreds of clowns and top musical acts wowed crowds at the 81st annual Thanksgiving Day Parade yesterday but the clear skies and unseasonably warm weather were the real stars of the show.

With temperatures close to 60 degrees, about 3.5 million spectators packed the route, some standing a half block back from the action just to glimpse a grumpy green Shrek one of three new balloons in the parade. "It couldn't be any more perfect," said Jill Dejewski, 43, of Jamesport, L.I., a first-time pa-radegoer who brought along her 6-year-old son, Nicholas. Soggy weather last Thanksgiving kept many parade lovers at home. But this year, spectators soaked up the sunshine and displayed extra enthusiasm, applauding even the city Sanitation Department employees cleaning the route. "We've always wanted to do this, all our lives," said Debbie McCallister, 45, of Lake City, who made the pilgrimage with five friends and relatives and staked out a spot near W.

57th St. about 5:30 a.m. Atop the Daily News Big Apple float, members of the newly re-formed boy band Menu-do made their first live appearance. "It's such an amazing feeling. 4 'i 1 NYDailyNews.comnews Having plenty of fun in sun at yesterday's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade are (clockwise from above) hew lf 9q giant balloon Shrek and his handlers, 6-year-old Andrew Scarantino who came dressed for Turkey Day 1 and pop group Menudo, on Daily News Big Apple float Photos by Susan WattsDaily News and Sara Jaye Weiss il juuuuim .1 i i i 7" -V if 1m 5 5 iv ri 8.