Before America gets turnt on turkey and settles in to watch some football, all eyes turn to Manhattan during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The annual pageant of giant balloons, floats, cheerleaders, clowns, marching bands, Broadway performances and celebs is one of the best NYC events in November.
Whether you’re waking up at the crack of dawn to secure a prime spot along the route or watching from home cozy on your couch, this guide will help you make the most of the parade.
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When is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Thanksgiving Day, of course! But we’ll spell it out for you: Thursday, November 26, 2026. It starts at 8:30am and runs until noon.
What is the route for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2025?
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade takes over Manhattan on the holiday with 2.5 miles of public viewing. It kicks off at West 77th Street & Central Park West and flows south before winding around Columbus Circle onto Central Park South and then Sixth Avenue. It files down Sixth Avenue to 34th Street, where it turns west until it hits the far corner of Macy’s Herald Square on 7th Avenue. Here’s the full route.
How to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade
Tune into NBC live from 8:30am to noon, or stream it on Peacock. Otherwise, get to the parade route very early to stake out your spot.
Who is performing during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Expect Broadway performances, live pop performances, marching bands, clown crews, performance groups and more.
Last year's headliners includes Ciara, Foreigner, Lil Jon, Kool & the Gang, Busta Rhymes, Shaggy, Mickey Guyton, Teyana Taylor and more. There were also appearances from the dance world via New York City Ballet principals, and Broadway performances. This year's performers are yet to be announced.
What are the new balloons in the Macy’s parade?
Balloons this year include five new scene-stealers: Billie Brightpaw, Earl the Squirrel, a new fleet of Macy's Star balloons, Bluey, Hello Kitty, Joe Cool and Woodstock, Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey and Underdog. They'll join classics like Smokey Bear, the Pillsbury Doughboy, Pikachu, Snoopy and Minnie Mouse.
New floats roll out from Macy's itself, Tony Sarg’s Amazing Marionettes, DoorDash, Geico, Harry Potter, Planters and Purina Dog Chow.
If you want to get an early look at the balloons, there's a balloon inflation event on Thanksgiving Eve (Wednesday, November 25, 1–6pm), on the Upper West Side. Watching Macy’s Parade balloons come to life in person is quite a spectacle. It's free and open to the public—just be prepared for a very long line (in 2025, the line opened at noon). You can enter the queue at West 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue.
The ginormous balloons are usually inflated around the American Museum of Natural History (77th and 81st Streets, between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue).
