Time, How to Watch, Performers

Gobble gobble, it’s almost time for Tom Turkey!

The holiday season is about to officially kick off with the 99th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade on Nov. 27.

Every year, over 3 million people gather in New York City to watch the spectacle, and more than 31 million tuned in last year from the comfort of their homes, according to The Hollywood Reporter. It’s a time-honored tradition filled with live performances, larger-than-life balloons and unforgettable floats.

In addition to new sights, there will be performances by the Radio City Rockettes — who are celebrating their 100th anniversary — the singing voices behind HUNTR/X from KPop Demon Hunters and of course, Santa Claus.

Here’s everything to know about the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

When is the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will take place on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025.

As in years past, it will start at West 77th Street and Central Park West, making its way to Macy’s Herald Square via Sixth Avenue, according to its route.

How can I watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?

The three-and-a-half-hour event will air on NBC and Peacock from 8:30 a.m. to noon in all time zones.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be hosted by Today show’s Savannah Guthrie and Al Roker, who will be joined by former co-anchor Hoda Kotb.

For those busy preparing the turkey at that time, there will be an encore presentation at 2 p.m. ET/PT.

Simultaneously, Telemundo is offering coverage of the parade exclusively in Spanish, hosted by Andrea Meza, Aleyda Ortiz and Clovis Nienow.

Who is performing at the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?

As is tradition, the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will feature a stellar lineup of performers.

Wicked: For Good star Cynthia Erivo will open the festivities with a “show-stopping opening number,” according to NBC.

Meanwhile, Busta Rhymes will be making his Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade debut, performing on the World of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Chocolate Factory float, per the event’s lineup.

The singing trio behind HUNTR/X from the animated sensation KPop Demon Hunters — EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI — will also wow the crowd.

In addition, there will be numbers from the Radio City Rockettes, as well as the casts of Broadway musicals, such as Buena Vista Social Club, Just in Time and Ragtime, per Playbill.

Other notable acts include Ciara, Mickey Guyton, Christopher Jackson, Jewel, Lil Jon, Kool & the Gang, Darlene Love, Taylor Momsen, Calum Scott, Shaggy, Teyana Taylor and more.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade roster will be comprised of 26 performers, 11 marching bands and nine performance groups.

What floats will appear in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?

Float master John Cheney and a team of over 30 others work at the Macy’s Parade Studio in Moonachie, N.J., ahead of Thanksgiving to create out-of-this-world rolling masterpieces.

On Nov. 27, audiences will see new floats grace N.Y.C.’s famous streets.

Parade creative director Brendan Kennedy took NBC’s Dylan Dreyer behind the scenes at the Moonachie warehouse, where he shared the first looks of a Pop Mart float, complete with a giant Labubu, and a Stranger Things float with a life-size Demogorgon.

“It’s magic to have our friends [from] Stranger Things join us at the parade and spook the guests a little bit,” Kennedy said.

During the interview, Dreyer also highlighted a few jaw-dropping material statistics, revealing that 2,000 gallons of paint, 300 lbs. of glitter and 200 lbs. of confetti were used for the 2025 floats.

“We think of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as this sort of snapshot of pop culture,” Kennedy told ABC7 Eyewitness News. “This is truly the yearbook of what’s going on out there, so we’re always trying to plus-up the parade experience.”

He also noted that the Pop Mart’s Labubu and Lacoco inflatable furry balloons are “a first ever in parade history.”

What balloons will appear in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?

There aren’t just more floats in this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade; there are more balloons, too.

This year’s parade features familiar faces like Snoopy and Spider-Man, as well as some exciting new additions, including Buzz Lightyear, Mario, PAC-MAN and Shrek’s Onion Carriage.

Derpy Tiger from KPop Demon Hunters will also make its balloon debut.

For those who are lifetime parade fans, Pikachu, Smokey Bear and the Pillsbury Doughboy will also be floating through the streets of Manhattan.