The 2024 holiday season got underway with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade taking place in a rainy New York City on Thursday (November 28), with an estimated 3.5 million spectators lining the 2.5-mile route to take in the procession of floats, marching bands, giant balloons, and musical performances.
As usual, the Today show’s Hoda Kotb, Savannah Guthrie, and Al Roker hosted the NBC coverage of the parade. This marks a special occasion, as it’s likely Kotb’s last time hosting the parade, as she will be officially retiring from the Today show in January. Kotb has co-hosted the parade alongside Guthrie since 2018.
The parade begins at West 77th Street and Central Park West, passes through Columbus Circle before crossing Central Park South to Sixth Avenue and ending at Herald Square, home of Macy’s flagship store.
This year’s parade features 28 entertainers, 11 marching bands, 28 clown crews, 10 musical performance groups, alongside 17 featured character balloons, 22 floats, and 15 heritage and novelty inflatables.
Celebrities on hand include Jennifer Hudson, Lea Salonga, T-Pain, Rachel Platten, Idina Menzel, Dan + Shay, and The Temptations, all of whom will perform. Dancing with the Stars winner and TikToker Charli D’Amelio and ballet stars Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia also feature.
There are also performances from Broadway musicals, including Death Becomes Her, Hell’s Kitchen, and The Outsiders. And, as per tradition, the Radio City Rockettes will also perform.
Community actress Alison Brie and The Goldbergs star Matt Bush cut the ribbon to kick off this year’s parade festivities, which began with around 8,000 people marching through Manhattan.
The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon then joined Roker to discuss his new holiday album and celebrate his eleventh Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
.@alisonbrie and Matt Bush from @TheGoldbergsABC (JTP!) opening the #MacysThanksgivingDayParade on @NBC. pic.twitter.com/sY0NLflazH— Jose Ramon Marquez (@joseramonmarmtz) November 28, 2024
Al Roker and Jimmy Fallon in the rainat the Macy’s Thanksgiving day Parade. pic.twitter.com/eOe4K4pWMa— primalkey (@primalkey) November 28, 2024
Broadway star Idina Menzel appeared as part of Bronx Zoo’s special float to mark the New York zoo’s 125th anniversary, where she performed “Great Escape” from the new Broadway musical Redwood.
Idina Menzel looks and sounds gorgeous at the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade #MacysParade pic.twitter.com/aFXbU0Ua0o— SΞAN (@Seanlofficial) November 28, 2024
Meanwhile, Motown legends The Temptations hopped aboard Wonder Bread’s “Wondership” float to perform their classic hit “My Girl.”
“We’ll have The Temptations on the float singing “My Girl” because it makes people long for the days of someone bringing them a sandwich on Wonder Bread.” – Macy’s Parade Exec#MacysParade #MacysThanksgivingDayParade pic.twitter.com/ipMBmVdtUh— Josh Sneed (@JoshSneed) November 28, 2024
Of course, the floats and giant character balloons are the main event, which this year include seven new floats: The Addams Family from Netflix’s Wednesday, Rao’s Pasta Knight, Nickelodeon’s Dara’s Fantastical Rainforest, the Bronx Zoo’s wild denizens, Disney Cruise Line’s Magic Meets the Seas, Haribo’s Candy Cosmos, and a Go Bowling figure.
Former favorites also make their return, including Bluey, Beagle Scout Snoopy, Po from Kung Fu Panda, Ronald McDonald, The Pillsbury Doughboy, SpongeBob SquarePants and his pet snail Gary, Stuart the Minion from Despicable Me, and Macy’s North Pole reindeer, Tiptoe.
The one and only - @Snoopy !#MacysThanksgivingDayParade pic.twitter.com/t22k9SbuCn— 34th Street (@34thStNYC) November 28, 2024
PATCHY THE PIRATE, NO WAY!#SpongeBobSquarepants #Spongebob25 #MacysParade #MacysThanksgivingDayParade #Thanksgiving pic.twitter.com/hCAsZR7IUk— iJermaine360 LIVE (#BringWOWtoXGP) (@iJermaine360) November 28, 2024
new float of Stuart#DespicableMe #MacysParade #MacysThanksgivingDayParade #Thanksgiving pic.twitter.com/ZyTSODOJWd— iJermaine360 LIVE (#BringWOWtoXGP) (@iJermaine360) November 28, 2024
It’s Bluey!!! @Macys #Thanksgiving #MacysParade #MacysThanksgivingDayParade #Bluey pic.twitter.com/uKndYgPgPb— Kerneycation (@Kerneycation) November 28, 2024
New balloons include Disney’s Minnie Mouse, Elf on the Shelf with Extraordinary Noorah, Gabby from Gabby’s Dollhouse, Goku from Dragon Ball, Marshall from PAW Patrol, and Spider-Man.
This article will continue to be updated.
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