State Champ Radio Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
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The 99th edition of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will officially usher in the 2025 holiday season when it airs live across all U.S. time zones on NBC and Peacock on Thursday, Nov. 27, at 8:30 a.m. ET.
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Hosted by TODAY anchors Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker, the nationally televised broadcast will feature the annual mix of larger-than-life balloons, celebrity-packed performances, marching bands and floats — plus the arrival of Santa Claus.
This year’s musical highlights include the daytime debut of the singing voices of HUNTR/X, the fictional K-pop girl group featured in Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters. Additional performances are scheduled from EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI, along with Broadway productions Buena Vista Social Club, Just in Time and Ragtime.
The full lineup of musical artists and guests also includes Drew Baldridge, Matteo Bocelli, Colbie Caillat, Ciara, Gavin DeGraw, Meg Donnelly, Mr. Fantasy, Foreigner, Debbie Gibson, Mickey Guyton, Christopher Jackson, Jewel, Lil Jon, Kool & the Gang, Darlene Love, Roman Mejia, Taylor Momsen, Tiler Peck, Busta Rhymes, Calum Scott, Shaggy, Lauren Spencer Smith, Luísa Sonza and Teyana Taylor. Appearances will also be made by Nikki DeLoach, Kristoffer Polaha, U.S. Olympian Ilia Malinin, U.S. Paralympian Jack Wallace and special correspondent Sean Evans.
In celebration of their centennial year, the Radio City Rockettes will once again perform, joined by a range of national and international performance groups. These include the EVIDENCE Dance Company, Native Pride Productions, Circus Vazquez, and A Chorus Line: The Next Generation, led by creative director and original cast member Baayork Lee. More than 1,200 dancers and cheerleaders will also perform as part of Spirit of America Dance and Spirit of America Cheer.
The marching band roster features musicians from across the globe, including Banda de Musica La Primavera (Panama), Catawba Ridge High School Marching Band (South Carolina), Damien Spartan Regiment (California), L.D. Bell Blue Raider Band (Texas), Northern Arizona University Lumberjack Marching Band, Alcorn State University Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite (Mississippi), Spartans Jr Drum and Bugle Corps (New Hampshire), The Marching Pride of North Alabama, Temple University Diamond Band (Pennsylvania), the Macy’s Great American Marching Band, and the NYPD Marching Band (New York).
This year’s parade will showcase 32 massive character balloons, 27 floats, 3 “ballonicles,” 4 specialty units, 33 clown crews, and more than 5,000 volunteers. Among the new balloon and float debuts for 2025: Buzz Lightyear (Pixar), PAC-MAN (Bandai Namco), Shrek’s Onion Carriage (DreamWorks Animation), and Mario (Nintendo), alongside KPop Demon Hunters characters Derpy Tiger and Sussie.
New floats include The Land of Ice & Wonder (Holland America), Brick-tastic Winter Mountain (LEGO), Master Chocolatier Ballroom (Lindt), Upside Down Invasion: Stranger Things (Netflix), Friends-giving in POPCITY (Pop Mart), and The Counting Sheep’s Dream Generator (Serta).
Additional elements returning this year include revamped legacy balloons from Macy’s archives — including Rainbow and Greybow Trouts, Happy Hippo Triple Stack, Wigglefoot, and Freida the Dachshund — as well as new collaborations like Goldfish crackers and the Elf on the Shelf Santaverse float.
Big Brothers Big Sisters matches will ride atop the Tom Turkey float, celebrating Macy’s ongoing “Mission Every One” initiative, which has raised over $13 million since launching in 2022.
The parade broadcast will re-air at 2 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and stream in Spanish via Telemundo, hosted by Andrea Meza, Aleyda Ortiz and Clovis Nienow.
A primetime special, Countdown to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, will air Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the balloons, bands and performers preparing to hit the streets of Manhattan.
The Parade’s 100th edition is set for 2026.
Cynthia Erivo is weighing in on whether movie-goers should sing along to Wicked in theaters.
In an interview (via TMZ) during the 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday (Nov. 28), the 37-year-old actress and singer, who plays Elphaba in the live-action adaptation of the Broadway musical, shared her thoughts on the ongoing debate about fans singing along during the film.
“Have you weighed in on whether or not it’s OK to sing in the theater? ‘Cause a lot of people are singing in the theater,” Today Show co-host Hoda Kotb asked Erivo during their brief conversation on NBC.
“Good! I’m OK with it,” Erivo replied with enthusiasm. “We’ve spent this long singing it ourselves, it’s time for everyone else to join in. It’s wonderful.”
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The topic of theater etiquette recently made headlines after an AMC Theaters preshow advisory video raised the issue of audience behavior. “At AMC Theaters, silence is golden. No talking. No texting. No singing. No wailing. No flirting. And absolutely no name-calling. Enjoy the magic of movies,” the message read, according to The Independent.
Meanwhile, Wicked — which also stars Ariana Grande as Glinda — dominated the pre-Thanksgiving weekend box office, debuting at No. 1 with a global haul of $164.2 million. Since its release on Nov. 22, the Jon M. Chu-directed film has been met with widespread praise, particularly for the performances of its lead actresses in these iconic roles. The second part of the Wicked adaptation is scheduled for release in November 2025.
For those eager to belt out hits like “Defying Gravity” and “The Wizard & I,” a sing-along version of the film will hit theaters on Christmas Day. The special screenings are expected to play at roughly 1,000 theaters across North America, according to Variety. Exact locations and showtimes are yet to be confirmed.
These interactive screenings, which will allow audiences to sing along to Stephen Schwartz’s famous score, are modeled after similar events for other movie musicals like The Greatest Showman. The sing-along version of Wicked will be released just over a month after the film’s initial premiere on Nov. 22, following more than three years of production.
The two-part Wicked adaptation, based on both the Broadway musical and Gregory Maguire’s novel, began production in 2021. The film features live vocal takes of songs like “Popular,” “What Is This Feeling?” and “Dancing Through Life.”
In addition to Erivo and Grande, Wicked stars Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Peter Dinklage and Marissa Bode.
Kylie Minogue brought a ray of sunshine to the rainy 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
On Thursday morning (Nov. 28), the Aussie pop icon lit up the 98th annual New York City event with a vibrant performance of a three-song medley featuring “Can’t Get You Out of My Head,” “Slow” and “Padam Padam.” Watch a fan-captured clip of the performance on X (formerly Twitter).
Dressed in a sleek black and red zip-up outfit and surrounded by dancers in similar attire, Minogue delivered her high-energy set in front of Macy’s iconic Herald Square flagship store. The performance was part of the annual tradition, broadcast live on NBC and simulstreamed on Peacock.
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“Macy’s, what just happened? OK, that was fun, that was fun singing and dancing in the rain,” Minogue laughed on her Instagram Story after the performance. “Thanks for having me. I’m going to go dry off.”
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This marked Minogue’s second appearance at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade; she previously performed in 2010, when she sang “Get Outta My Way” from her Aphrodite album.
The pop legend is currently promoting her latest album, Tension II, ahead of a major global tour in 2025.
In addition to Minogue, the parade featured nearly two dozen iconic balloons, including Snoopy, Bluey, Minnie Mouse, Marshall from Paw Patrol, Ronald McDonald, Pikachu, and newcomers Gabby, Goku, and Spider-Man.
Other performers included Jennifer Hudson, T-Pain, Chloë Bailey, Idina Menzel, Dan + Shay, Billy Porter, and Wicked star Cynthia Erivo, among many others.
The 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade also showcased 34 floats, 11 marching bands, seven “balloonicles” and 28 clown crews, filling the streets with holiday cheer as the event wrapped up at noon ET.
When actor Alison Brie cuts the ribbon on Thursday, Nov. 28, to kick off this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, it will mark the beginning of the event’s 98th year, and will usher in performances from a string of stars from various musical genres.
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T-Pain, Jimmy Fallon & The Roots, Chlöe and The War and Treaty will be among those performing this year, with the lineup also featuring Bishop Briggs, Kylie Cantrall, Dan + Shay, Dasha, Coco Jones, Walker Hayes, Ariana Madix, Joey McIntyre, Idina Menzel, Natti Natasha, Rachel Platten, Lea Salonga, The Temptations, Alex Warren, Sebastián Yatra, Charli D’Amelio and Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia.
The Radio City Rockettes and the casts of Broadway shows Death Becomes Her, Hell’s Kitchen and The Outsiders will also perform, as will marching bands from colleges and high schools around the country.
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NBC and Peacock will air the parade from 8:30 a.m. until noon in all time zones, with an encore beginning at 2 p.m. ET. Today show’s Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker return as hosts, and the parade will be simulcast on Telemundo and hosted by Carlos Adyan and Andrea Meza. The 98th procession will depart from the starting line at 77th Street, march down a 2.5-mile route and arrive at Macy’s iconic Herald Square flagship.
Also making special appearances during the festivities will be Jonathan Bennett, Matt Bush, Tom Kenny, Ginna Claire Mason and Liza Colón-Zayas and members of the WNBA Champions New York Liberty.
More than 5,000 volunteers will be working on this year’s parade, which will include 17 featured character balloons, 22 floats, more than 700 clowns and 11 marching bands.
“The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a beloved tradition that marks the beginning of the holiday season for millions of live spectators and viewers across the country,” Will Coss, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade executive producer, said in a statement. “A dedicated team of artisans and production experts at Macy’s Studios works year-round to bring this experience to life. This year’s 98th Macy’s Parade will create awe with unforgettable character balloons, one-of-a-kind floats and the world-class entertainment only Macy’s can deliver.”
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade broadcast is produced by Silent House Productions. Baz Halpin, Mark Bracco, Linda Gierahn serve as executive producers, and Sacha Mueller as co-executive producer.
It’s not Christmastime until… Cher hits the dance floor. The timeless diva performed “DJ Play a Christmas Song” from her brand-new Christmas album at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday (Nov. 23), and she turned the parade route into a dance club, performing on a silver stage flanked by dancers dressed like discofied toy […]
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The annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is returning for its 97th installment this year and will air across the country on Thursday (Nov. 23).
This year’s parade is set to take place in New York City in front of a live audience, making its 2.5-mile trek through Manhattan and featuring performers and attendees as it travels from the city’s Upper West Side to Midtown.
Fans looking to watch the parade this year are in luck because there are several ways to tune in to the event with or without cable. Find out how below.
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How to Watch Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade
The 97th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be broadcast on NBC and Telemundo from 8:30 a.m. to noon ET.
How to Stream Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade
If you have cable (or a digital TV antenna like this one from Amazon), you can watch the parade on TV through your local network NBC affiliate. The parade will also stream live on Peacock Premium (click here for more details on Peacock’s Black Friday discount).
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade can be viewed online, as NBC can be streamed using SlingTV, fuboTV, DirecTV Stream, or Hulu + Live TV. Most these services offer free trials, which will allow you to watch the Thanksgiving parade fun for free online without cable.
How to View the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in Person
There are a small number of viewing areas for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, but fans can start arriving at 6 a.m. ET Central Park West between West 75th to West 61st Streets. Great views can be found on 6th avenue between West 59th to West 38th Streets, and limited public viewing on the south side of West 34th Street between Broadway and 7th Avenue will be available.
Who is performing at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade?
This year’s parade will feature lots of performances, including Cher, Brandy, ENHYPEN, Jon Batiste, Jesse James Decker, En Vogue, Manuel Turizo, Jabari Banks, Bell Biv Devoe, Pentatonix, Ashley Park, Chicago, David Foster, Katherine McPhee, Alex Smith, Amanda Shaw, Miss America Grace Stanke and Paul Russell.
Last year, Gloria Estefan and her family sang atop the Deck the Halls float by Balsam Hills, while Joss Stone appeared on a Hallmark Channel float, and Jordan Sparks performed on a Toys R Us float. Paula Abdul, Big Time Rush, Kirk Franklin, Cam, Betty Who, Sean Paul, Zigg Marley and more were featured during the 2022 parade. Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, and Ariana Grande are some of the stars who have performed at the Thanksgiving Day Parade in previous years.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has been an iconic holiday event for more than 90 years, and in recent memory, it has brought some of music’s shining stars and up-and-coming acts along for the float- and balloon-filled ride.
Ahead of the 2022 parade, which features Gloria Estefan, Fitz & the Tantrums, Ziggy Marley, Joss Stone, Jordin Sparks and Betty Who, take a trip down memory lane with some big-name artists who (you may have forgotten) once graced a Thanksgiving float.
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