A resounding success of the 99th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Many people find watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade a beloved tradition.

There were over 3.5 million spectators at the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, with tens of millions more watching it from home.

The enthusiastic audience was overjoyed to see the beautiful balloons, floats, clown crews, marching bands. 

Across American households and in New York City, Thanksgiving kicks off for millions with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

There is a lot of history and fun facts that go into making the Parade possible!

With Santa’s appearance in Herald Square, one thing is for sure: It’s Christmastime! As always, Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and their sleigh full of presents bring up the tail end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, marking the beginning of the Christmas season.

Ever since the inaugural celebration in Manhattan on Nov. 27, 1924, and its first televised broadcast in 1939, viewers have spent year after year watching the Broadway performances, marching bands, colorful balloons and the arrival of Santa Claus. There have been plenty of surprises over the years.

From Snoopy to Minnie Mouse, there have been many iconic balloon debuts — and it’s no small feat to bring them to life. The first-ever character balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was Felix the Cat in 1927. Then there were Mickey Mouse in 1934, Bullwinkle in 1961, Snoopy in 1968 and Minnie Mouse.

Mickey Mouse, a Macy’s Thanksgiving mainstay 

Mickey Mouse has been a Macy’s Thanksgiving mainstay, flying in the parade for the first time in 1934. Walt Disney himself worked on the first Mickey Mouse balloon together with Macy’s designers. There were four versions of Mickey since.

His partner, Minnie Mouse, on the other hand, didn’t make her debut until 2024. Mickey and Minnie’s pals, including Goofy and Pluto, have also joined the parade route over the years.

Snoopy and Charlie Brown have taken turns in the parade

Snoopy made his parade debut as an aviator in 1968, and there have been several iterations of him since then, including some that have repeated. He’s been an astronaut and ice skater, and even donned a crown for the millennium in 2000.

There have also been swaps in which Peanuts characters have appeared in any given year. In 2016, Charlie Brown, who hadn’t been seen since 2012, replaced Snoopy. And astronaut Snoopy replaced Charlie Brown once again in 2019. A new Snoopy, Beagle Scout Snoopy, began flying around in 2023. With more than 40 showings to his name, Snoopy takes the crown for the most parade appearances.

What was new this year?

There were five new character balloons this year: Pac-Man, Shrek’s Onion Carriage, Buzz Lightyear, Mario and Derpy Tiger. Each balloon is between two and four stories tall.

PAC-MAN takes a bite out of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in honor of 45th anniversary

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade served a power-packed dose of nostalgia, as PAC-MAN floated through Manhattan for the first time in 1980. The first-ever giant PAC-MAN balloon captures the character’s classic look, complete with his wide-open mouth and determined stride. He’s even clutching a pair of shiny red cherries.

Buzz Lightyear

Everyone’s favorite Space Ranger soared through New York City once again, returning to the holiday tradition just in time to celebrate 30 years of Toy Story magic. With his pop-out wings deployed, blaster at the ready and signature steely confidence on display, the fearless defender of the galaxy showed he’s back and ready to protect his toy family from any interstellar threats along the route. From his iconic purple-and-green space suit to the “ANDY” printed on the sole of his boot, every detail has been faithfully recreated on a giant scale.

Wahoo! It’s-a-him, Mario!

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Super Mario Bros., the mustached hero of the Mushroom Kingdom took flight in his first-ever balloon. He features the character clad in his classic blue overalls and signature red cap, striking a flying pose.

Macy’s creates every balloon in New Jersey

The floats and balloons that dazzle millions on Thanksgiving morning are the work of the talented artisans and specialists at Macy’s Parade Studio, located in the town of Moonachie, New Jersey, about 10 miles from midtown Manhattan.

Collaborating closely with partners, the team designs, builds, and brings to life immersive floats packed with state-of-the-art effects and iconic character balloons that spark joy and wonder.

The balloons are made from nylon cloth, which has a urethane coating that allows builders to use heat to melt the pieces together, creating an airtight seal, according to HGTV.

Creating a single float is a year-round effort. Macy’s Parade Studio is made up of at least 60 artisans and production specialists — including painters, carpenters, animators, sculptors, welders, and designers — all working together to make each vision a reality. Constructing a float can take four to seven months, not including the time spent on initial design and ideation.

Although the balloons are quite large when inflated to their full size, they must fit through the Lincoln Tunnel to travel from New Jersey to Manhattan. That means they need to get down to 12.5 feet high and 8 feet wide. To achieve this, the balloons are built in pieces that can be packed into appropriately sized boxes for transportation.

The balloons are hand-painted while inflated.

The nylon fabric starts as a white base that then gets hand-painted while the balloons are inflated to ensure the paint doesn’t crack. Painters custom-mix shades to get the exact colors they need, using about 240 gallons of paint for each balloon.

Perched atop the floats throughout the parade were plenty of performers:

Jonathan Groff Brought Bobby Darin to Life at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with Powerhouse Performance from Broadway’s Just in Time

Broadway magic hit the streets of New York City as Jonathan Groff helped kick off the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with a show-stopping number from his hit Broadway show Just in Time that included a dance with Bowen Yang.

The musical, about legendary singer Bobby Darin, is one of the hottest tickets on the boards – and Groff’s performance proved why. Known for his dynamic stage presence and powerhouse vocals, the Tony Award winner captured the spirit and energy of Darin, giving audiences a taste of classic Broadway sparkle on their holiday morning. Performing along with him was the musical’s superstar cast, including Sadie Dickerson and Sarah Hyland.

Ragtime Made History Sing at the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade welcomed a slice of history to the broadcast as the massive cast of the acclaimed Broadway revival of Ragtime offered a stirring performance that transported audiences from the Manhattan streets to the world of turn-of-the-century New York.

Based on E. L. Doctorow’s best-selling novel, the musical tells the sweeping story of three families in early 20th-century America — one white, one Black, and one Jewish immigrant — whose lives intersect amid a time of tremendous social change. Blending fictional stories with real historical figures and events, the show captures the promise and pain of the American dream, exploring themes of race, class and identity that continue to resonate decades later.

The performance at the parade on Nov. 27 gave a thrilling peek at the Lincoln Center Theater’s revival, with soaring vocals, lush harmonies, and a medley of songs (“Wheels of a Dream” and the “Prologue”) from the show’s Tony Award-winning score on full display.

Broadway’s Buena Vista Social Club Brings the Music of Havana to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The cast of Broadway’s Buena Vista Social Club injected an infectious burst of Latin rhythms, rich harmonies and colorful choreography into this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Inspired by the Cuban music group and making of their self-titled, 1997 Grammy-winning album of the same name, the musical — playing at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre — shines a light on the once-overlooked artists who helped preserve the sound of Cuba’s musical golden age.

Those vibrant sounds were on full display with the show’s Parade performance. Led by Tony Award winner Natalie Venetia Belcon, the number — a medley of “Chan Chan” and “Candela” —  added a festive and joyful offering to the broadcast, leaving audiences humming and tapping their feet long after the final note.

Buena Vista Social Club opened on Broadway in March 2025. It received 10 Tony nominations, taking home five including Best Choreography (for Patricia Delgado and Justin Peck) and a special honor for the show’s incredible 10-piece on-stage band.

The 99th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was a resounding success with viewers around the world, as were all their previous performances on that day!

By Gilbert Castro | ENC News