Kicking off the holiday season with one of the most anticipated events of the year, NBC’s official telecast of the “98th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade” will air live from 8:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. ET/PT on Thursday, Nov. 28. The parade, which begins on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and ends at Macy’s Herald Square flagship store, will also simulstream on Peacock and have an encore on NBC at 2 p.m. ET/PT.
The 98th Macy’s Parade lineup will be the largest yet with more than 5,000 volunteers, 17 featured character balloons, 22 floats, 15 heritage and novelty balloons, more than 700 clowns, 11 marching bands, 10 performance groups and music’s biggest stars, all welcoming Santa Claus and the holidays. ”TODAY’s” Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker will once again join as hosts of the Emmy Award-winning celebration.
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For nearly a century, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has been one of the nation’s most anticipated and watched holiday celebrations. Last year’s “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade” drew the most viewers in the history of the event with nearly 30 million viewers across NBC, Peacock and the encore telecast.
“The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is second to none when it comes to world-class entertainment during the holiday season,” said Jen Neal, Executive Vice President, Live Events and Specials, NBCUniversal Media Group. “It’s truly an honor to bring such an iconic event to our viewers year after year and partake in one of the country’s most beloved traditions.”
“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,” said parade executive producer Will Coss. “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.”
A Parade of Stars
The 98th Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade will feature the biggest stars in entertainment, including Bishop Briggs, Kylie Cantrall, Chlöe, Dan + Shay, Dasha, Jimmy Fallon & The Roots, Coco Jones, Walker Hayes, Ariana Madix, Joey McIntyre, Idina Menzel, Natti Natasha, T-Pain, Rachel Platten, Lea Salonga, The Temptations, The War and Treaty, Alex Warren and Sebastián Yatra. Dance sensation Charli D’Amelio and ballet dancers Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia will join the lineup with captivating performances. Stars Jonathan Bennett, Liza Colón-Zayas, Tom Kenny, Ginna Claire Mason and members of WNBA Champions, New York Liberty with Ellie the Elephant will also make special appearances.
Joining the celebration to cut the ribbon and kick off the Parade will be a special appearance by acclaimed actress Alison Brie, the star of the Macy’s 2024 holiday campaign. Brie is the Macy’s Gift Guide, and with Matt Bush as her Mentee, she curates the perfect gift for friends and family.
Every year casts from must-see Broadway shows step onto the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade stage to entertain fans across the country. This year’s official national broadcast will include performances from “Death Becomes Her,” “Hell’s Kitchen” and “The Outsiders” as well as the iconic Radio City Rockettes(R).
High-Flying Inflatables
Since their 1927 debut, Macy’s Parade’s larger-than-life character balloons have delighted fans of all ages as they take to the skies and soar down the streets of New York City on Thanksgiving morning. A collaborative effort between Macy’s Studios artisans and partners, these iconic creations average more than six months to bring these beloved characters to life.
This year, six new featured character balloons will debut, including Disney’s Minnie Mouse by The Walt Disney Company; Extraordinary Noorah(TM) & The Elf on the Shelf(R) by The Lumistella Company; Gabby by DreamWorks Animation; Goku by Dragon Ball/Toei Animation; Marshall by Nickelodeon(TM) and Spin Master(R); and Spider-Man by Marvel.
Fantastic Floats
In the months leading up to the 98th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the skilled artisans at Macy’s Studios – a design and production facility that includes carpenters, engineers, electricians, painters, animators, balloon technicians, sculptors, metal fabricators, and scenic and costume designers – conceive, design and engineer fantastical floats that feature thrilling effects and whimsical animations that inspire joy and excitement.
This year six new floats will debut in the Macy’s Parade including Candy Cosmos by Haribo; Dora’s Fantastical Rainforest by Nickelodeon & Paramount; Magic Meets the Seas by Disney Cruise Line; Pasta Knight by Rao’s Homemade; Masterfeast by Netflix; and Wondrous World of Wildlife by Bronx Zoo. New specialty units for the 2024 Macy’s Parade include Strikes Again by Go Bowling!(TM); The Garriage by Nickelodeon, a whimsical carriage modeled after SpongeBob’s pet snail; and The Grannies Car from BBC Studios’ Bluey. Towed by Ram Trucks, the official truck of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the debuting floats will join a lineup of fan favorites including Santa’s Sleigh. Universal’s Merry Moment by Universal Orlando Resort, complete with stilt walkers, drums and dancers will also delight crowds.
Macy’s Winter Wonderland in Central Park will host a special performance by Sebastián Yatra with a holiday choir comprised of Macy’s colleagues with and Bigs and Littles from Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS). The performance celebrates a partnership between Macy’s and BBBS, to empower young people through mentorship opportunities and experiences through the brand’s social purpose platform, Mission Every One.
Featured Performances
Gifted musicians from around the country will join the line of march, celebrating excellence in music education. Featured marching bands include University of Massachusetts Minuteman Marching Band (Amherst, MA), Avon Marching Black & Gold (Avon, IN), East Tennessee State University Marching Buccaneers (Johnson City, TN), Flower Mound High School Marching Band (Flower Mound, TX), The Lake Hamilton High School Marching Band (Hot Springs, AR), Sioux Falls Lincoln High School “Patriot” Marching Band (Sioux Falls, SD), The Majestic Marching Cardinals of Jonesboro High School (Morrow, GA), Macy’s Great American Marching Band (United States), The Carolina Band of the University of South Carolina (Columbia, SC) and “the Pride of West Virginia”-The Mountaineer Marching Band (Morgantown, WV). NYPD Marching Band (New York, NY) will also join the festivities.
Closing out the entertainment lineup are energetic performance groups who will bring joy and delight to crowds along the Parade route, before delivering a best-in-class performance on 34th Street. These groups include Circus Vazquez; Riverdance (North American Tour and Academy), AUM Dance Creations (Bridgewater, NJ), Black Haus Creative (New York, NY), BOSS Kids (New York, NY), Indigenous Enterprise (Phoenix, AZ), Kilgore College Rangerettes (Kilgore, TX), MOVE NYC (New York, NY) and 700 talented dancers and cheerleaders of Spirit of America Dance and Spirit of America Cheer.
Parade Viewing
Audiences nationwide can watch only on the official telecast on NBC and simulcast on Peacock, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., in all time zones. An encore telecast at 2:00 p.m. ET/PT. A Spanish language simulcast on Telemundo will be hosted by the network’s Carlos Adyan and Andrea Meza.
The 98th 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.
To create a more inclusive experience for blind and visually impaired viewers, NBCUniversal is proud to present the full NBC broadcast with live audio description on the Secondary Audio Program channel (SAP), provided by Descriptive Video Works. The broadcast will be available with additional audio narration describing the rich visuals of the Parade.
For an insider’s look, information on returning elements and public viewing, visit macys.com/parade. Fans can also follow @macys and #MacysParade on various social networks for behind-the-scenes content and more.
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