See ‘Stranger Things,’ Labubu Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade floats
Take a look at seven new floats and five new balloons joining this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
- The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has been a holiday tradition since 1924, only pausing for World War II.
- This year’s parade will start at 8:30 a.m. ET on Thanksgiving and will be broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock.
- The 99th edition of the parade will feature new balloons, including Buzz Lightyear and Mario, and six new floats.
- A lineup of musical stars, including Ciara, Foreigner, Jewel, and Busta Rhymes, are scheduled to perform.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, one of the largest parades in the world, has been a yearly Thanksgiving staple in American households since it began in 1924.
The parade has been held every year except 1942, 1943 and 1944 because of World War II, according to Macy’s, when materials that would have been used in the celebration, including rubber, were dedicated to the war.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade begins on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and ends at Macy’s flagship store at Herald Square. The 2025 lineup – the 99th edition of the parade – will feature 32 balloons, three balloonicles, 27 floats, four specialty units, 33 clown groups, 11 marching bands, performance groups and musical stars, “all welcoming Santa Claus and the holiday season,” according to Macy’s.
Here’s what to know about streaming the festivities and more this year.
What time does the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade start?
The parade begins at 8:30 a.m. ET on Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 27.
How long is the parade?
The parade will run 3.5 hours, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, a parade spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY.
What channel is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on?
The event will be telecast on NBC starting at 8:30 a.m. in all time zones.
What streaming service has the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade be live on?
It will also stream on Peacock, and Fubo subscribers will also be able to watch. An encore on NBC will follow at 2 p.m. ET/PT.
Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker of NBC’s “Today” show will return as telecast hosts, NBC said.
Three different camera angles will be presented in Multiview on Peacock:
Traditional Programming (primaryview): The Parade, as fans know and love it, will feature commentary from NBC hosts, live performances, and more.
Float View: Ride aboard the classic Tom the Turkey float through the streets of Manhattan and truly feel like a part of the Parade.
High-Rise View: Get a bird’s eye view of all the excitement from high above the parade route.
To create a more inclusive experience for blind and visually impaired viewers, Macy’s said, the full NBC broadcast will be presented with live audio description on the Secondary Audio Program channel (SAP), provided by Descriptive Video Works.
New 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade balloons
This year’s parade will introduce four new featured balloons:
- Buzz Lightyear by Pixar Animation Studios
- PAC-MAN by Bandai Namco Entertainment America, Inc.
- Shrek’s Onion Carriage from Universal Pictures’ DreamWorks Animation
- Mario by Nintendo
New floats at the 2025 Thanksgiving Day Parade
Six new floats are also planned:
- The Land of Glaciers, Wildlife & Wonder by Holland America Line
- Brick-tastic Winter Mountain by The LEGO Group
- Master Chocolatier Ballroom by Lindt
- Upside Down Invasion: Stranger Things by Netflix
- Friends-giving in POPCITY by Pop Mart, the makers of Labubu
- The Counting Sheep’s Dream Generator by Serta
Who will perform at the 2025 Thanksgiving Day Parade?
The following stars are listed to perform this year:
- Drew Baldridge
- Matteo Bocelli
- Colbie Caillat
- Ciara
- Gavin DeGraw
- Meg Donnelly
- Mr. Fantasy
- Foreigner
- Debbie Gibson
- Mickey Guyton
- Christopher Jackson
- Jewel
- Lil Jon
- Kool & the Gang
- Darlene Love
- Roman Mejia
- Taylor Momsen
- Tiler Peck
- Busta Rhymes
- Calum Scott
- Shaggy
- Lauren Spencer Smith
- Luísa Sonza
- Teyana Taylor
Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, contributed to this report.
Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected].
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.independentmail.com ’
