Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2025: New Balloons and Surprising Performances You Can’t Miss

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade returns for its 99th edition on Thursday, bringing one of the nation’s most-watched holiday traditions back to the streets of New York City. The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. ET on NBC and will simultaneously stream live on Peacock. This year’s parade features an expanded lineup of floats, balloons, marching bands, and Broadway performances, anchoring one of the largest holiday broadcasts of 2025. With new character balloons and several first-time floats, organizers expect record viewership across platforms. Here is a full breakdown of what viewers need to know before Thursday’s broadcast.

What to Expect This Year

The 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will run approximately 3.5 hours, starting at 8:30 a.m. ET and concluding at noon before replaying in an encore slot at 2 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

The parade includes 32 balloons, 27 floats, three balloonicles, 11 marching bands, and 33 clown teams.
Notable new floats include:

• The Land of Ice & Wonder by Holland America Line

• Brick-tastic Winter Mountain by LEGO

• Master Chocolatier Ballroom by Lindt

• Upside Down Invasion: Stranger Things by Netflix

• Friends-giving in POPCITY by Pop Mart

• The Counting Sheep’s Dream Generator by Serta

Four new character balloons will also debut:

• Buzz Lightyear (Pixar)

• PAC-MAN (Bandai Namco)

• Shrek’s Onion Carriage (DreamWorks Animation)

• Mario (Nintendo)

Performances will be led by Cynthia Erivo, country star Lainey Wilson, and casts from Broadway productions including Buena Vista Social Club, Just in Time, and Ragtime.

Peacock will again offer a three-angle multi-view stream, giving viewers alternate vantage points of the route.

Quotes & Official Reactions

Parade organizers highlighted the scale of this year’s lineup.
A Macy’s Parade spokesperson noted that the 2025 edition “represents one of the most ambitious balloon and float combinations in parade history,” emphasizing the integration of new entertainment brands and updated staging.

NBC’s Today Show hosts Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker, who will anchor the broadcast again, said the expanded lineup “creates one of the most dynamic on-air experiences for Thanksgiving morning audiences.”

Why This Year Matters

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade remains one of the highest-rated live events on U.S. television, often surpassing regular-season NFL broadcasts and holiday specials. With several franchise characters debuting—especially Buzz Lightyear, Mario, and PAC-MAN—the event is expected to draw strong family and youth viewership.

The introduction of major streaming partnerships, especially Peacock’s multi-view feature, positions NBCUniversal to expand total audience reach across digital platforms. Industry analysts expect the parade to maintain its status as a top-five holiday broadcast of 2025.

Upcoming Announcements

NBC is expected to release final broadcast logistics, including performer order and route camera placements, early next week. Parade organizers will also confirm weather contingency plans for balloon wind protocols closer to Thanksgiving Day.

The 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade milestone in 2026 is already in early planning, with production teams reportedly preparing expanded centennial programming.

Sources

• NBC Universal Communications

• Macy’s Parade Official Guide

• Peacock Streaming Release Notes

• Associated Press Holiday Broadcast Desk