On November 28, the 98th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will return, including 34 amazing floats, seven wheeled “balloonicles,” 22 large balloons, and more.
The 2024 parade will once more be hosted by Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker of NBC’s “TODAY” program.
What’s the parade route?
from 8:30 a.m. ET, the parade starts from West 77th Street & Central Park West, and it ends at 12:00 p.m. ET at Macy’s Herald Square flagship store on 34th Street.
The 2024 route includes 2.5 miles of approved public viewing places. To secure the finest seats, viewers are encouraged to arrive as early as 6:00 a.m.
Bring ponchos since it’s supposed to rain in New York City on Thursday!
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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 be simulcast on Peacock and broadcast on NBC from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET. NBC will also run an encore presentation at 2:00 p.m. EST.
The parent corporation of NBC News, NBCUniversal, owns both NBC and Peacock.
Who is performing this year?
Over the course of the nearly four-hour parade, 28 thrilling performers, 11 musical marching bands, 28 clown crews, and 11 performing groups will be on display.
In addition to dancer and TikToker Charli D. Amelio and ballet dancers Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia, celebrities such as Jennifer Hudson, Lea Salonga, T-Pain, Rachel Platten, Idina Menzel, Dan + Shay, and The Temptations will perform.
Ellie the Elephant, the mascot of the New York Liberty, the WNBA champions, will also be there.
Broadway’s top performers, including those from the musicals “Death Becomes Her,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” and “The Outsiders,” will display their talents.
Not to be outdone, Santa Claus will complete the procession in his well-known sleigh, the parade’s biggest float, which is 60 feet long, 22 feet wide, and three and a half stories high.
What’s new this year?
Minnie Mouse, Extraordinary Noorah & The Elf on the Shelf, and a brand-new Spider-Man balloon based on the artwork of comic book artist John Romita Sr. are among the six new balloons announced for this year’s parade.
“Candy Cosmos” by Haribo, “Pasta Knight” by Rao’s Homemade, “Wondrous World of Wildlife” by The Bronx Zoo, which will honor the zoo’s animals and cherished exhibits, and “Wednesday’s Feast” by Netflix, which features a likeness of Jenna Ortega from the popular show, are among the six new floats that will also make their parade debut this year.
Additionally, three new “Balloonicles,” which are smaller balloons attached to bicycles that ride down the route, have been developed.
How are the balloons prepared for flight?
On Wednesday, observe the Upper West Side as Macy’s famous gigantic cartoon balloons get ready for their Thanksgiving Day flights.
The public can observe the parade preparations behind the scenes from 1:00 p.m. EST to 6:00 p.m. EST by joining the line at West 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue and making their way up to the Natural History Museum, where the balloons will be blown up and put on display.
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