Everything you need to know about Macy’s 98th Thanksgiving Day Parade
Who doesn’t love a parade, especially this one! The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will officially usher in the holiday season on Thursday, November 28 at 8:30 a.m. for its 98th march. Each year, the Parade brings together millions of people to celebrate the joy and magic of the season with the nation’s premiere holiday experience, featuring a world-class lineup of iconic character balloons, fantastical floats, music’s biggest talents, and the one-and-only Santa Claus.
Throughout this year’s broadcast, live viewers and Parade fans at home will be dazzled by showstopping performances from Grammy, Oscar, Emmy, and Tony Award winner Jennifer Hudson, host of “The Jennifer Hudson Show”; global pop icon and Grammy winner Kylie Minogue; and Tony, Grammy, and Emmy winner Billy Porter.
“The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a beloved tradition that marks the beginning of the holiday season for millions of live spectators and viewers across the country,” said Will Coss, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade executive producer. “A dedicated team of artisans and production experts at Macy’s Studios work year-round to bring this experience to life. This year’s 98th Macy’s Parade will create awe with unforgettable character balloons, one-of-a-kind floats and the world-class entertainment only Macy’s can deliver.”
The 98th Macy’s Parade lineup will be the largest yet with more than 5,000 volunteers, 17 featured character balloons, 22 floats, 15 heritage and novelty balloons, more than 700 clowns, 11 marching bands, 10 performance groups and music’s biggest stars, all welcoming Santa Claus and the holidays. Although it began in 1924, the Parade was canceled in 1942, 1943 and 1944 due to World War II. During that time, materials that would have been used in the celebration, including rubber, were dedicated to war efforts. The 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will occur in 2026.
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A Parade of Stars: This year’s Macy’s Parade will feature the biggest stars in entertainment, including Bishop Briggs, Kylie Cantrall, Chlöe, Dan + Shay, Dasha, Jimmy Fallon & The Roots, Coco Jones, Walker Hayes, Loud Luxury, Ariana Madix, Joey McIntyre, Idina Menzel, Natti Natasha, T-Pain, Rachel Platten, Lea Salonga, The Temptations, The War and Treaty, Alex Warren and Sebastián Yatra. Dance sensation Charli D’Amelio and NYC Ballet Principal Dancers Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia will join the lineup with captivating performances. Stars Jonathan Bennett, Liza Colón-Zayas, Cynthia Erivo, Cole Escola, Tom Kenny, Ginna Claire Mason and members of WNBA Champions, New York Liberty with Ellie the Elephant will also make special appearances.
Renowned choreographer Shay Latukolan will create captivating dance performances for the highly anticipated arrivals of Tom Turkey and Santa Claus, as well as adding a touch of magic to three featured floats. Every year, casts from must-see Broadway shows step onto the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade stage to entertain fans across the country. This year’s official national broadcast will include performances from “Death Becomes Her,” “Hell’s Kitchen” and “The Outsiders” as well as the iconic Radio City Rockettes®.
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High-Flying Inflatables: Since their 1927 debut, Macy’s Parade’s larger-than-life character balloons have delighted fans of all ages as they take to the skies and soar down the streets of New York City on Thanksgiving morning. A collaborative effort between Macy’s Studios artisans and partners, these iconic creations average more than six months to bring these beloved characters to life. This year, six new featured character balloons will debut, including Disney’s Minnie Mouse by The Walt Disney Company; Extraordinary Noorah™ & The Elf on the Shelf® by The Lumistella Company; Gabby by DreamWorks Animation; Goku by Dragon Ball/Toei Animation; Marshall by Nickelodeon™ and Spin Master®; and Spider-Man by Marvel. Fantastic Floats In the months leading up to the Macy’s Parade, the skilled artisans at Macy’s Studios – a design and production facility that includes carpenters, engineers, electricians, painters, animators, balloon technicians, sculptors, metal fabricators, and scenic and costume designers – conceive, design and engineer fantastical floats that feature thrilling effects and whimsical animations that inspire joy and excitement.
This year, six new floats will debut in the Macy’s Parade including Candy Cosmos by Haribo; Dora’s Fantastical Rainforest by Nickelodeon & Paramount; Magic Meets the Seas by Disney Cruise Line; Pasta Knight by Rao’s Homemade; Wednesday’s Feast by Netflix; and Wondrous World of Wildlife by Bronx Zoo.
New specialty units for the 2024 Macy’s Parade include Strikes Again by Go Bowling!™; The Garriage by Nickelodeon, a whimsical carriage modeled after SpongeBob’s pet snail; and The Grannies Car from BBC Studios’ Bluey. Towed by Ram Trucks, the official truck of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the debuting floats will join a lineup of fan favorites including Santa’s Sleigh. Universal’s Merry Moment by Universal Orlando Resort, complete with stilt walkers, drums and dancers will also delight crowds.
Macy’s Winter Wonderland in Central Park will host a special performance by Sebastián Yatra with a holiday choir comprised of Macy’s colleagues with and Bigs and Littles from Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS). The performance celebrates a partnership between Macy’s and BBBS, to empower young people through mentorship opportunities and experiences through the brand’s social purpose platform, Mission Every One.
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Featured Performances: Gifted musicians from around the country will join the line of march, celebrating excellence in music education. Featured marching bands include University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band (Amherst, MA), Avon Marching Black & Gold (Avon, IN), East Tennessee State University Marching Buccaneers (Johnson City, TN), Flower Mound High School Marching Band (Flower Mound, TX), The Lake Hamilton High School Marching Band (Hot Springs, AR), Sioux Falls Lincoln High School “Patriot” Marching Band (Sioux Falls, SD), The Majestic Marching Cardinals of Jonesboro High School (Morrow, GA), Macy’s Great American Marching Band (United States), The Carolina Band of the University of South Carolina (Columbia, SC) and “the Pride of West Virginia”-The Mountaineer Marching Band (Morgantown, WV). NYPD Marching Band (New York, NY) will also join the festivities.
Closing out the entertainment lineup are energetic performance groups who will bring joy and delight to crowds along the Parade route, before delivering a best-in-class performance on 34th Street. These groups include Circus Vazquez; Riverdance (30 – The New Generation), AUM Dance Creations (Bridgewater, NJ), Black Haus Creative (New York, NY), BOSS Kids (New York, NY), Indigenous Enterprise (Phoenix, AZ), Kilgore College Rangerettes (Kilgore, TX), MOVE NYC (New York, NY) and 700 talented dancers and cheerleaders of Spirit of America Dance and Spirit of America Cheer.
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Parade Viewing: Audiences nationwide can watch only on the official telecast on NBC and simulcast on Peacock, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., in all time zones. An encore telecast at 2:00 p.m. ET/PT. “TODAY’s” Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker will return as hosts of the Emmy® Award winning celebration. A Spanish language simulcast on Telemundo will be hosted by the network’s Carlos Adyan and Andrea Meza.
To create a more inclusive experience for blind and visually impaired viewers, NBCUniversal is proud to present the full NBC broadcast with live audio description on the Secondary Audio Program channel (SAP), provided by Descriptive Video Works. The broadcast will be available with additional audio narration describing the rich visuals of the Parade.
The 98th procession will depart from the starting line at 77th Street, march down a 2.5-mile route and arrive at Macy’s iconic Herald Square flagship. Public viewing will be available along designated portions of the route and is managed by the NYPD. Spectators should avoid bringing large bags, umbrellas, backpacks, and strollers. Public entering viewing streets may be subject to a security search. For an insider’s look, information on returning elements and public viewing, visit macys.com/parade.
Fans can also follow @macys and #MacysParade on various social networks for behind-the-scenes content and more. Parade Mementos To celebrate the annual tradition, Macy’s customers can shop exclusive 2024 Parade gifts, including the iconic annual snow globe, ornaments, home décor, whimsical pins, Parade character plush, pjs & apparel, toys and more will be available at macys.com, in select stores nationwide.
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(Source and cover photo images: Macy’s)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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