Across the country, many families will begin their Thanksgiving traditions not in the kitchen, but on the couch. Pajamas on and coffee in hand, thousands of Americans tune into the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Gathered in New York City, crowds line the streets as ginormous balloons fill the air. Thrilling performers and musicians play as they make their way through the streets of Manhattan. With Thanksgiving just a week away, Macy’s is getting ready to put on their 99th parade, filled with exciting floats, dazzling performances and, of course, the return of Santa Claus!
Many floats and balloons find their way down the streets of Manhattan every Thanksgiving. Every year, we look forward to seeing the Pillsbury Dough Boy, Smokey Bear and many variations of Snoopy flying through the sky. This year there are plenty of new, exciting balloons ready for take off.
A “Shrek Onion Carriage” is making its flying debut on Thanksgiving, featuring eight characters from the beloved “Shrek” films. Shrek, Princess Fiona, Donkey and Gingy are some characters ready to make their holiday debut from 50 feet in the sky.
Macy’s is bringing back characters we know and love this November. PAC-MAN, Super Mario and Buzz Lightyear are all making their way through the sky with their own balloons.
One of my favorite things to look forward to in the parade is all the intricate floats making their way down the streets. This year will feature seven new floats. A controversial pick is the Labubu float presented by POPCITY. Labubus became popular earlier this year and a lot of people have strong opinions on them. The float will feature two 16-foot fuzzy creatures, Labubu and Mokoko.
Another new float that I am excited to see is a “Stranger Things Upside Down Invasion.” Currently, there is no photo on the Macy’s website for it, so the big reveal will happen on Thanksgiving Day! All things Upside Down will be on everyone’s minds as the final season of “Stranger Things” drops the night before Thanksgiving at 8:00 p.m.
Along with brilliant floats and outstanding balloons, there will be many exciting performances along the parade route. Some of those performers are Shaggy, Calum Scott, Darlene Love, Gavin DeGraw, Kool & the Gang and more! An interesting performance that I am very excited for is the viral, social media hit Mr. Fantasy. Mr. Fantasy, the presumed musical alter ego of actor KJ Apa, has been making sparks on social media the past couple of months. Known for his weird humor, he has released two singles, “Mr. Fantasy” and “Wayuwanna” this year. His performance will be nothing short of unique and funky, and I am here for it.
Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami, the voices of “K-Pop Demon Hunters” superstars, Rumi, Mira and Zoey will also be performing this Thanksgiving. “K-Pop Demon Hunters,” an animated Netflix musical film debuted earlier this year in June. It has since blown up, with over 236 million streams at the end of August.
As the final float makes its way through the end of the parade, the energy shifts as a special visitor from the North Pole arrives. Santa Claus, accompanied by Mrs. Claus arrives to close out the parade and usher in the holiday season. Decked out in his classic red suit and a jolly beard, Santa greets the cheering crowd with a festive wave and a warm smile. From giant balloons and joyous performances, this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is sure to be a great one!
