As you notice Christmas decorations popping up around Thanksgiving, you should either thank or curse Macy's department store. Founder Rowland Hussey Macy was noted for his innovative marketing that included in-store Santas.
In 1924, Macy's had just completed a huge expansion of the flagship Manhattan store, enlarging it to one million square feet and a full block on 34th street. The Macy's staff assembled a parade on Thanksgiving Day with animals from the zoo to celebrate the expansion and encourage holiday shopping in the "World's Largest Department Store." It followed a six mile-route from Harlem to Herald Square.
The unruly zoo animals were quickly replaced by oversized balloons in subsequent parades. In 1930, the featured Mickey Mouse balloon was designed with Walt Disney.
According to CNN, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was first broadcast on the radio in 1932. The parade was televised throughout New York state in 1946 and nationally on NBCthe next year.
Since its start, the parade has taken place rain or shine and has only been canceled three times in 1942, 1943, and 1944 during World War II. Even Covid did not cancel the parade in 2020. There were precautions taken to end in-person viewing and attendance by out-of-state performers.
Each year, more than 3.5 million people in NYC & 50 million-plus viewers at home watch Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade which starts on West 77th Street & Central Park West and finishes about 3.5 hours later in front of the Macy's flagship store at Herald Square. And, of course, Santa will close the celebration. — officially kicking off the holiday season.
This year marks the 99th Macy's Parade, which will feature more than 5,000 volunteers, 34 balloons, 28 floats, 11 marching bands, 600 clowns and three Broadway performances.
The four-kilometer parade showcases floats, marching bands, cheerleaders and of course the famous giant balloons. The Macy's balloons are kind of a cultural touchstone. If you want to know which characters are popular, watch the parade. This year the parade will feature five new balloon characters including Buzz Lightyear, Pac-Man, Mario from Super Mario Brothers, and a 32-foot-tall balloon onion carriage featuring characters from Shrek.
Watch footage of past parades and tune in to this year's parade on NBC or stream on Peacock at 8:30 a.m. EST on November 27th. A rerun will play on NBC at 2 p.m. and simulcast on Peacock, to see what Macy's considers "in" this year.
This year's parade lineup includes:
TODAY's Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker are hosting the parade.
Wicked: For Good star Cynthia Erivo is kicking off the special with an opening number. Country artist Lainey Wilson, who appeared in Yellowstone, will be taking the stage in front of Macy's in Midtown Manhattan to perform.
EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI, the singing voices of HUNTR/X from Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters, will perform. There will also be hits performed from the Broadway shows Buena Vista Social Club, Just in Time, and Ragtime.
And there will be musical and dance performances by 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, the Radio City Rockettes, Busta Rhymes, Calum Scott, Shaggy, Lauren Spencer Smith, Luísa Sonza and Teyana Taylor. There will also be appearances by Nikki DeLoach, U.S. Olympian Ilia Malinin, Kristoffer Polaha, U.S Paralympian Jack Wallace, and special correspondent Sean Evans.