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November 28, 2024

Happy Thanksgiving! Start the day with the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade held in New York City. It begins on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and ends at the Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square.

While the parade tradition itself began 100 years ago in 1924, the parade is not celebrating its 100th anniversary this year as it was not held in 1942, 1943 and 1944 due to World War II, according to Macy’s. During this time, materials that would have been used in the celebration, including rubber, were used for the war effort.

This year’s program is expected to include 22 floats, 17 character balloons, 15 heritage or novelty balloons and more than 700 clowns, according to NBC, which will broadcast the event. The event will also feature performances by several music stars as well as 11 marching bands and 10 performance groups, with renowned choreographer Shay Latukolan choreographing dance routines for Tom Turkey and Santa Claus and presenting three floats.

“The 98th Macy’s Parade program ensures there is something for everyone at this iconic Thanksgiving Day celebration,” Macy’s said of the parade.

Here’s what you need to know about this year’s parade, including where to watch it and which balloons to look out for.

Do you need a break? Play the USA TODAY daily crossword puzzle.

See all the stars:Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2024 performances

When does the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade start?

The 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, November 28th. The parade takes place in all weathers.

How to watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade

The 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will air on NBC on Thursday, November 28, from 8:30 a.m. to noon in all time zones. The event will also be simulstreamed on Peacock and Fubo subscribers can also watch. An encore follows at 2:00 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

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Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker from NBC’s “Today” show will return as television hosts.

To provide a more immersive experience for visually impaired viewers, NBC will present the entire broadcast with live audio description on the Secondary Audio Program (SAP) channel provided by Descriptive Video Works. According to NBC, the broadcast will be available with additional audio commentary describing the images from the parade.

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How long does the parade last?

The 2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade lasts three and a half hours from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

New Macy’s Thanksgiving Day 2024 parade balloons

While the annual parade will feature 17 character balloons and 15 traditional or novelty balloons, this year’s edition will feature six new balloons including:

Minnie Mouse
Extraordinary Noorah & The Elf on the Shelf
Gabby from Gabby’s Dollhouse
Goku from Dragon Ball
Marshall from PAW Patrol
Spider-Man

The 60-foot Minnie Mouse will join Mickey Mouse, whose balloon debut was in 1934, Pluto (1934), Donald Duck (1935) and Goofy (1992).

Macy’s is “super excited to bring Minnie to life,” Will Coss, executive producer of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, told USA TODAY last month. “It’s been a dream of Macy’s Studios for quite some time, and the people here on my team who worked on the design and actually brought this character to life as a balloon in the sky couldn’t be more excited about it.”

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New floats in the 2024 Thanksgiving Day Parade

Six new floats will also debut during the 2024 parade, including:

“Candy Cosmos” by Haribo
“Dora’s Fantastic Rainforest” from Nickelodeon & Paramount
Disney Cruise Line’s Magic Meets the Seas
“Pasta Knight” by Rao’s Homemade
“Wednesday’s Feast” from Netflix
“Wondrous World of Wildlife” from the Bronx Zoo (The Bronx Zoo is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year)

This year’s parade will also feature the first-ever scented float. Balsam Hill, which offers high-quality artificial Christmas trees, is partnering with NEST to scent its float with NEST’s Christmas scent.

Who will perform in the 2024 Thanksgiving Day Parade?

The following stars will appear in this year’s Thanksgiving Day Parade:

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