This Year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Lineup
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will celebrate its 100th year with a lineup of giant balloons, including familiar favorites and new characters. As always, there will be lots of floats, marching bands, and live performances along its usual route through Manhattan.
Here’s what to know about this year’s parade.
New Balloons and Returning Favorites
Disney’s Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey and Despicable Me’s Bob the Minion are among the new additions to this year’s parade. Macy’s will also introduce Billie Brightpaw, its newest parade character, and Tom Jr., the son of Tom Turkey.
Underdog will be back for the first time since 1984. Felix the Cat is also returning. First appearing as a parade balloon in 1927, Felix was the first character balloon in the parade.
Other characters in this year’s lineup include Bluey, Hello Kitty, Joe Cool and Woodstock, Buzz Lightyear, Dora, Goku, Mario, PAC-MAN, Pikachu and Eevee, Spider-Man, SpongeBob SquarePants and Gary, Shrek’s Onion Carriage, Smokey Bear, the Pillsbury Doughboy, Greg Heffley from Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Gabby and Pandy Paws, Marshall from PAW Patrol, and Derpy Tiger from KPop Demon Hunters.
Psst… Check Out Family-Friendly Thanksgiving Events in NYC, Long Island, and Westchester 2026
Centennial Floats
This year’s float lineup includes tributes to the parade’s history, along with floats featuring familiar characters and themes.
Macy’s Parade All-Stars will bring together characters from past parades, including Bullwinkle J. Moose, Olive Oyl, Popeye, Swee’Pea, and Sonic the Hedgehog
Tony Sarg’s Amazing Marionettes honors the artist and puppeteer who helped shape the parade’s early history. The float will feature recreations of his original characters and illustrations, as well as a puppet likeness of Sarg.
Other floats in the lineup include Hogwarts Holiday, 1-2-3 Sesame Street, Big Turkey Spectacular, Dora’s Fantastical Rainforest, Brick-tastic Winter Mountain, Candy Cosmos, Friends-giving in POPCITY, and Mr. Peanut’s Power Plant.
Bands, Musical Performers, and More
Marching bands from across the country are always a parade favorite, and this year’s centennial celebration will feature the University of Alabama’s Million Dollar Band, the University of Connecticut Marching Band, Pride of Pearland Marching Band, and Nā Koa Ali’i Hawai’i All-State Marching Band.
The James F. Byrnes High School Marching Band, Dobyns-Bennett High School Marching Band, and The Marching Minutemen will also join the festivities.
Musical performers and Broadway appearances: Macy’s has not yet released the complete entertainment lineup. Check back here for updates as additional performers, Broadway shows, and special appearances are announced.
And, of course, Santa will close the show, officially kicking off the holiday season!
How to Watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
You can catch the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo on Thursday, November 26, starting at 8:30 am.
Kids can also learn about the science behind the parade right at home, with a free activity that explores how giant balloons float. It’s geared toward elementary school kids, with simple experiments and a chance to make their own parade balloon.
Psst… Check Out Lapland’s First U.S. Christmas Shop Is Coming to NYC
