NEW YORK — A diverse lineup of stars is set to grace this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, featuring personalities from various entertainment realms. Among the participants are reality TV figure Ariana Madix, Broadway powerhouse Idina Menzel, hip-hop artist T-Pain, members of the WNBA champion New York Liberty, and country duo Dan + Shay. Other notable performers include The War and Treaty, Lea Salonga, Kylie Cantrall, The Temptations, Chlöe, Charli D’Amelio, Jimmy Fallon & The Roots, Coco Jones, Walker Hayes, Bishop Briggs, Joey McIntyre, Natti Natasha, Tiler Peck, and Roman Mejia, along with Rachel Platten.
The annual holiday spectacle is scheduled to commence at 8:30 a.m. on November 28, broadcast in every time zone. The parade’s opening will be marked by actor Alison Brie, renowned for her role in the series “Glow” and her current performance in Apple TV’s “Apples Never Fall.”
This year’s parade promises a wide array of entertainment, featuring 17 massive character balloons, 22 floats, 15 novelty and heritage inflatables, 11 marching bands, 700 clowns, and 10 performance groups. Will Coss, the executive producer of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, remarked, “The work that we do, the opportunity to impact millions of people and bring a bit of joy for a couple of hours on Thanksgiving morning, is what motivates us every day.”
The parade will be aired on NBC and made available for streaming on Peacock. Hosts Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker from “Today” will guide the festivities, while the Spanish-language simulcast on Telemundo will feature Carlos Adyan and Andrea Meza.
This year, the parade introduces six new character balloons, including Minnie Mouse, “Extraordinary Noorah” with The Elf on the Shelf, characters from “Gabby’s Dollhouse,” “Goku,” and “Spider-Man.” The “Gabby’s Dollhouse” float will showcase a towering 55-foot balloon with Gabby and Pandy Paws, adorned in 10 different shades of pink.
Traci Paige Johnson, co-creator of “Gabby’s Dollhouse,” shared her excitement, recalling her childhood in New Jersey: “As a little girl growing up, the Thanksgiving Day parade was what you always tuned into, and the balloons were, of course, the best part.” She continued, “That little 7-year-old girl in me is just like, ‘Oh my God!’ — something from your brain that you created that all the world watches floating down New York City is just absolutely incredible.” Johnson and her co-creator Jennifer Twomey, who also brought “Blue’s Clues” to life, are thrilled to celebrate having a second balloon featured in the parade.
The Macy’s parade has established itself as a beloved holiday tradition, attracting crowds that line the streets to witness the spectacle. In past years, notable icons have had the honor of being the last guest before Santa’s grand entrance, with Cher holding this spot last year. The identity of this year’s headliner remains to be announced. Broadway performances from productions like “Death Becomes Her,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” and “The Outsiders” will also add to the festivities, along with appearances from the iconic Radio City Rockettes and “Riverdance” performers.
Exciting new floats will represent various brands, such as Disney Cruise Line, Haribo, Netflix’s “Wednesday,” and Universal Orlando Resorts, alongside the float and balloon from “Dora the Explorer” by Nickelodeon and Paramount. A new float inspired by the Rao’s food brand will feature a knight and a dragon creatively crafted with real pasta elements. Coss remarked, “It’s one of those opportunities to really combine the whimsy and the artistry of our great artists and artisans at our studio and deliver on that iconic spectacle that’s known and loved of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.”
Marching bands will come together from various states including Massachusetts, Indiana, Tennessee, Texas, Arkansas, South Dakota, Georgia, South Carolina, West Virginia, and New York. Members of the New York Liberty, who recently secured their first-ever WNBA Championship, will participate, marching alongside their beloved mascot, Ellie the Elephant.
The team behind the Macy’s parade is already busy brainstorming concepts and sketches for the next year’s event, understanding that each parade cycle requires around 18 months of preparation. Coss affectionately refers to this event as “the largest variety show on television.”