The Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade is one of my favorite NYC traditions. Every year on Thanksgiving, I run down the stairs at 8:30 a.m., and watch the parade on the couch with my mom. The giant balloons float by, amazing performances, marching bands, floats – all of it is what makes the holidays in NYC so special. And my favorite part is always the last float of the parade at 12 p.m., Santa and Mrs. Claus because it marks the official start of the Christmas season.
This year is the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade which sounds almost unreal if you consider how different the city was in 1924. It was originally known as Macy’s Christmas Parade and was started by Macy’s employees. The parade had animals from the Central Park Zoo, employees and professional entertainers dressed up in colorful costumes to march from 145th Street in Harlem to Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street. The first parade was so successful, having more than 250,000 people attend, that Macy’s decided to make it an annual event.
The giant balloons are hands down the most famous attraction at the parade. They included the balloons for the first time in 1927 with Felix the Cat. Since Felix, parade balloons have had more than 100 of the world’s most beloved characters. Each balloon takes months of planning and testing, and the teams of handlers guiding them down the route make it look much easier than it actually is. My favorites that we’ll be seeing this year are Snoopy, Spongebob & Gary and Mario (Mario is a new balloon this year).
Going in-person is a fun experience. I haven’t gone since I was a kid but I still remember the holiday buzz in the city those mornings. Here are some of my tips for going in-person: Get there before the parade starts. People will start getting there very early to get the best spots (which are usually along the 2.5-mile route from the Upper West Side to Herald Square). It’s guaranteed to be cold and probably windy. Dressing warm is the only way you will be comfortable. What I would wear is a long sleeve shirt with a hooded sweatshirt over it and then a puffer jacket. I would also wear leggings under my jeans, very thick socks and ugg boots. If you wanna go the extra step, you can also wear a winter hat and maybe a scarf. Bring snacks! You are gonna be standing for up to 7 hours and will probably get hungry. Little snacks will hold you over until you can get a real meal!
Watching at home is its own great experience. Many families, including mine, turn the parade on the second they wake up. I always bring a Christmas blanket down with me, and lay on the couch to watch the parade all morning. The broadcast gives you a close-up view of all the performers, marching bands and floats which are all details that are pretty easily missed if you’re there in person.
My second favorite thing about the parade (besides the balloons) are the performances. Last year, we got a performance from the Broadway Musical “The Outsiders” which was absolutely amazing. We also got the Radio City Rockettes performance that they have done at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade every year since 1957. We have even had performances from the St. John’s Dance Team in recent years from 2021-2024.
Growing up in NYC, I’ve watched the parade stay the same in all the important ways and still bring something new every year whether it is new balloons, new performers or new floats. No matter how many times you’ve seen it, the parade always marks the beginning of the season in a way that nothing else really can.