It’s Almost Time! Here’s Everything to Know About the 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Including How to Watch the Festivities from Home
Actor Alison Brie will cut the ribbon to kick off the 98th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Actor Alison Brie will cut the ribbon to kick off the 98th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The 98th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Parade is right around the corner!
Every year, over 3 million people gather in New York City to watch the spectacle, and nearly 30 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.
The festive event, taking place on Nov. 28, begins with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and this year, actress Alison Brie will be holding the scissors.
"I feel like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is like definition monoculture," the GLOW star told PEOPLE in October 2024. "I can just picture the huge Snoopy balloon. It's etched into my brain, [for] as long as I can remember. So, I'm so excited to be doing that."
In addition to Snoopy, viewers can expect to see new character balloons and floats. Not to mention a performance by the Radio City Rockettes and appearances by the Wicked cast and Santa Claus.
Here's everything to know about the 2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, including what time it starts, how to watch and who's performing.
When is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will take place on Nov. 28, 2024.
Like in years past, the parade will step off from West 77th Street and Central Park West and make its way to Macy's Herald Square via Sixth Avenue.
How can I watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
The three-and-a-half-hour event — hosted by Today show's Hoda Kotb, Savannah Guthrie and Al Roker — will air on NBC and Peacock from 8:30 a.m. to noon in all time zones.
For those busy prepping the turkey at that time, there will be an encore presentation of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade at 2 p.m. ET/PT.
Simultaneously, Telemundo is offering coverage of the parade exclusively in Spanish, hosted by Carlos Adyan and Andrea Meza.
Who will perform at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
The 2024 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will feature a stellar lineup of performers.
Idina Menzel will sing a song from her upcoming Broadway musical Redwood aboard the Bronx Zoo’s “Wondrous World of Wildlife” float.
Meanwhile, T-Pain will perform on turkey brand Jennie-O's float.
"I can't wait to make my debut," the rapper said in a statement, per CBS News. "I've got some surprises up my sleeve to help make it a happy turkey day and celebrate the start of the holiday season!"
In front of Macy’s iconic Herald Square flagship store, Jennifer Hudson, Kylie Minogue and Billy Porter are expected to wow the viewers with their vocals.
Other notable performers include Ariana Madix, Bishop Briggs, Charli D'Amelio, Chloe Bailey, Coco Jones, Dan + Shay, Dasha, Jimmy Fallon & the Roots and Kylie Cantrall.
What floats will appear in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Float master John Cheney and a team of over 30 others work tirelessly at the Macy's Parade Studio in Moonachie, N.J., ahead of Thanksgiving to create out-of-this-world rolling masterpieces.
On Nov. 28, 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 Pasta Knight float from Rao's Homemade and a super sweet Candy Cosmos float from Haribo that features a golden gummy bear in an astronaut suit.
During the interview, Dreyer also called out a few jaw-dropping material stats, revealing that 2,000 gallons of paint, 200 pounds of glitter and 300 pounds of confetti were used for the 2024 floats.
Meanwhile, Kennedy revealed to ABC7 Eyewitness News that it took over 100 hours to create Netflix's Wednesday float, where, per usual, Wednesday Adams is up to no good.
"She's playing a joke on her little brother, Pugsley, and sending him down the parade route in a sheet pan of rotten vegetables," he quipped.
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!
Fans of Spider-Man will be happy to learn that the superhero, after a brief hiatus, will be making a comeback and Minnie Mouse will make her balloon debut alongside four other new character balloons, including Marshall from PAW Patrol and Goku from Dragon Ball.
For those who are lifetime parade fans, Beagle Scout Snoopy, Ronald McDonald and the Pillsbury Doughboy will also be floating through the streets of Manhattan.