The best way to start Turkey Day with a smile is to tune in to the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The iconic 99th parade will hit the streets of New York City on Thursday, November 27th, with the usual amazing balloons, performances and special guests, as well as some new items for 2025.
TODAY's Savannah Guthrie and Al Roker and former TODAY co-host Hoda Kotb are back as hosts to bring you joy before you gather with friends and family around the Thanksgiving dinner table.
If you want a glimpse into the lead-up to the iconic event, be sure to check out the one-hour primetime special.”Countdown to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade” November 26 at 8:00 pm on NBC and Peacock, hosted by Happy's Place's Melissa Peterman.
Here's what you need to know and how to watch this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which will feature 34 hot air balloons, 4 hot air balloons, 28 floats, 14 special units, 33 clown bands and 11 marching bands.
How to Watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The 2025 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will air on NBC and Peacock on November 27 from 8:30 a.m. to noon in all time zones, followed by an encore presentation at 2 p.m. ET/PT.
The hosts will be Al, Savannah and Hoda.
The Spanish-language simulcast will air on Telemundo and will be hosted by Andrea Meza, Aleida Ortiz and Clovis Ninov.
What time does the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade start?
The parade will begin at 8:30 a.m. ET at West 77th Street and Central Park West in Manhattan.
It follows a 2.5-mile route through downtown Manhattan and typically ends around noon Eastern Time.
Who performs in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?
This celebrity group of the year features one of the country's No. 1 movie stars: Wicked: For Good's Cynthia Erivo.
She will begin the broadcast by performing the opening song, which will mark the beginning of the celebration.
Country music star Laney Wilson will perform her hits in front of Macy's in Herald Square. New this year is the Netflix sensation “KPop Demon Hunters”, which will feature the singing voices of EJAE, Audrey Noona and REI AMI.
Plus, it wouldn't be the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade without some Broadway flavor, as performances will include hits from the show “Buena Vista Social Club,” “Just in Time” and “Ragtime.”
Also performing will be Ciara, Gavin DeGraw, Foreigner, Debbie Gibson, Mickey Guyton, Jewel, Lil Jon, Kool & the Gang, Darlene Love, Taylor Momsen, Busta Rhymes, Shaggy, Teyana Taylor, Radio City Rockettes and others.
Ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, American figure skater Ilya Malinin and Paralympic sledge hockey star Jack Wallace will compete. Hot Ones star and interviewer Sean Evans will also be in attendance.
What new hot air balloons will appear in 2025?
Four balloons will debut this year, three of which are iconic animated characters.
Buzz Lightyear of Toy Story fame is Pixar Animation Studios' 2025 newcomer, and will be joined by Mario in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the first Nintendo game, Super Mario Brothers. Pac-Man will also fly through the streets of Manhattan for the first time.
In addition to performing, Netflix's Demon Hunters will also feature a medium-sized hot air balloon with Derpy Tiger and a hot air balloon with Sassy. A hot air balloon is a mixture of “balloon” and “vehicle” in which an inflatable boat is propelled along the parade route by a vehicle inside the balloon.
What new floats will appear in 2025?
Six new floats will cruise around Manhattan, including a Stranger Things attraction dedicated to release of the first four episodes of the final season massive Netflix hit on November 26th.
New floats include The Land of Ice & Wonder from Holland America Line; Unusual Winter Mountain made from bricks from the LEGO Group; Master Chocolatier Ballroom by Lindt; Netflix's Upside Down: Stranger Things; Donate to friends at POPCITY from Pop Mart (featuring Labubus!); and Serta's Counting Sheep Dream Generator.
The debut floats will join the line-up of fan favorites, including Santa's sleigh.
