Here’s What To Expect During The 98th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!
Get ready to welcome the holiday season this November 28 at the 98th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City!
Hosted by Today stars Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker, this year’s parade promises an unforgettable show with its biggest lineup to date! It’ll kick off with a ribbon cutting by actress Alison Brie that will then lead into the festivities featuring 11 marching bands, 10 performance groups, 22 floats, 17 character balloons, 15 heritage and novelty balloons, 700 clowns, and over 5,000 volunteers. It’s safe to say the parade will bring a full slate of holiday cheer and live entertainment.
Packed with chart-toppers and fan favorites expect stellar performances from the musical lineup including Kylie Cantrall, T-Pain, Idina Menzel, Lea Salonga, Bishop Briggs, Chlöe, The Temptations, Sebastián Yatra, Coco Jones, Rachel Platten, Walker Hayes, Dan + Shay, Jimmy Fallon and the Roots, Charli D’Amelio, Alex Warren, Joey Mcintyre The War and Treaty, and Natti Natasha. Broadway shows like Death Becomes Her, Hell’s Kitchen, and The Outsiders will also be performing. Special guests include SpongeBob SquarePants voice actor Tom Kenny, Hallmark Channel stars Jonathan Bennett and Ginna Claire Mason, Liza Colón-Zayas, Ariana Madix, and the WNBA Champions New York Liberty with their mascot Ellie the Elephant.
The parade will also introduce six brand-new balloons, so keep an eye out for beloved characters making their Macy’s debut! This includes Disney’s Minnie Mouse, Gabby from Gabby’s Dollhouse, Dragon Ball Z’s Goku, Marshall from PAW Patrol, Spider-Man, and Extraordinary Noorah and Elf on the Shelf as they bring holiday magic to the skies.
For the floats, six fresh designs will make their way through the streets of New York. These include Haribo’s whimsical Candy Cosmos, Nickelodeon’s Dora’s Fantastical Rainforest, and Disney Cruise Line’s Magic Meets the Seas. Fans of pasta will enjoy Pasta Knight by Rao’s Homemade, while Netflix’s Masterfeast and the Bronx Zoo’s Wondrous World of WIldlife celebrate family traditions and New York’s wildlife.
For those wanting to experience the magic live, the best public viewing spots in Manhattan are along the parade route from Central Park West down to 6th Avenue. The parade will begin on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and conclude on 34th Street at Macy’s Herald Square flagship store. Arriving early is key, as crowds gather hours before the parade begins to secure a prime viewing location.
For those watching at home, the parade kicks off at 8:30 am ET on NBC, or you can stream it from Peacock and Fubo. An encore is scheduled to air on NBC at 2 pm ET for those celebrating later.
