The 98th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will return on Nov. 28, featuring 22 big balloons, 34 fabulous floats, 7 wheeled “balloonicles” and more.
NBC’s “TODAY” show stars Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker will again host the 2024 parade.
What’s the parade route?
The parade begins on West 77th Street & Central Park West at 8:30 a.m. ET and ends at Macy’s Herald Square flagship store on 34th Street at 12:00 p.m. ET.
There are 2.5 miles of designated public viewing areas along the 2024 route. Viewers are advised to arrive as early as 6:00 a.m. to snag the best spots.
The forecast for Thursday in New York City calls for rain, so bring your ponchos!
- Central Park West: Great views can be found along Central Park West from West 75th to West 61st Streets. There is no public viewing on Central Park West between West 59th & West 60th Streets, though.
- 6th Avenue: The West 59th to West 38th Street stretch holds the best views as close as possible to the end of the parade, but spectators should avoid the area on 6th Avenue between West 34th and West 38th Street, where viewing is limited.
How can it be watched at home?
The parade will air on NBC from 8:30 a.m. ET to 12:00 p.m. ET and simulcast on Peacock, with an encore presentation on NBC at 2:00 p.m. EST.
NBC and Peacock are owned by NBCUniversal, the parent company of NBC News.
Who is performing this year?
28 exciting entertainers, 11 musical marching bands, 28 clown crews and 11 performance groups will be making appearances throughout the parade’s almost four hour duration.
Stars like Jennifer Hudson, Lea Salonga, T-Pain, Rachel Platten, Idina Menzel, Dan + Shay and The Temptations will perform, along with dancer and TikToker Charli D’Amelio and ballet dancers Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia.
Members of WNBA champions the New York Liberty, along with mascot Ellie the Elephant, will also make appearances.
The best of Broadway will showcase their skills, including actors from musicals “Death Becomes Her,” “Hell’s Kitchen” and “The Outsiders.”
And not to be outdone, Santa Claus will round out the lineup on his famous sleigh, the largest float in the parade at 60-feet long, 22-feet wide and 3 1/2 stories tall.
What’s new this year?
Six new balloons have been confirmed for this year’s parade, including Minnie Mouse, Extraordinary Noorah & The Elf on the Shelf and an all-new Spider-Man balloon, inspired by comic book artist John Romita Sr.’s art.
Six new floats will also make their parade debut this year, such as “Candy Cosmos” by Haribo, “Pasta Knight” by Rao’s Homemade, “Wondrous World of Wildlife” by The Bronx Zoo, which will celebrate the zoo’s animals and beloved exhibits, and “Wednesday’s Feast” by Netflix, featuring a likeness of Jenna Ortega from the hit show.
Three new “Balloonicles,” smaller balloons that wheel down the route attached to cycles, have been created as well.
How are the balloons prepared for flight?
Catch a glimpse of Macy’s signature giant character balloons being prepared for their Thanksgiving Day flights on Wednesday on the Upper West Side.
From 1:00 p.m. EST to 6:00 p.m. EST, members of the public can take a behind-the-scenes look at parade preparation by entering the queue at West 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue and traveling up to the Natural History Museum where the balloons will be blown up and on display.
