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Macy’s Thanksgiving parade updates: Broadway stars and iconic singers perform at NYC holiday event
Turkey Day is here — and that means the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has kicked off in New York City.
The 99th annual parade features dozens of iconic floats and balloons — including Beagle Scout Snoopy, Super Mario and Spider-Man — along a 2.5-mile route stretching from the Upper West Side to Midtown this morning. Eleven marching bands from across the country joined the procession, along with more than 30 clown crews.
Nearly 30 musical guests are performing in this year’s parade, including Wicked: For Good star Cynthia Erivo, who opened the event. Other big names include rapper Busta Rhymes and pop singer Calum Scott, who are both set to perform later this morning.
The casts of popular Broadway shows, including “Ragtime” and “Just in Time,” have also wowed audiences with performances today.
The procession began around 8:30 a.m. Eastern time and will wrap up around noon, just in time for families to start setting the table and adding the finishing touches to Thanksgiving dinner.
If you’re looking to watch the parade in person, expect a high temperature in the low to mid-40s. Strong wind was predicted to impact the event, but weather presenter Al Roker told TODAY that the gusts are “fairly light” and the balloons are still expected to fly.
Conan Gray sings ‘Vodka Cranberry’
Pop icon Conan Gray has performed his 2025 hit song, “Vodka Cranberry,” at the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.
The song is from his fourth studio album, “Wishbone.”
Katie Hawkinson27 November 2025 15:30
Labubu float makes Macy’s parade history
A Labubu float debuted at the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade this morning, featuring the plush toys that went viral on social media this year.
The 16-foot-tall Labubu and Mokoko characters also made history, becoming the first furry inflatables in Macy’s parade history, according to TODAY.
Katie Hawkinson27 November 2025 15:24
Kool & The Gang celebrate Thanksgiving
Kool & The Gang performed their hit 1980 song, “Celebration,” on board the Bronx Zoo float this morning.
There are 29 performers and nine performance groups expected to appear at today’s parade.
Katie Hawkinson27 November 2025 15:13
Diary of a Wimpy Kid ballon flies
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid balloon is flying through the streets of New York City this morning.
Katie Hawkinson27 November 2025 15:00
Christopher Jackson performs with cast of ‘Sesame Street’
Grammy Award-winning singer and actor Christopher Jackson performed with the cast of “Sesame Street” at the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The group performed the show’s classic theme song, “Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street?”
Katie Hawkinson27 November 2025 14:49
SpongeBob SquarePants balloon ready to fly
The iconic SpongeBob SquarePants balloon is at the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
SpongeBob will be joined by his pet snail, Gary, as he floats down the streets of New York City.
Katie Hawkinson27 November 2025 14:47
Wind unlikely to impact parade
Weather presenter Al Roker told TODAY that winds are light today, and the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons are still expected to fly.
“Right now winds are fairly light, we are seeing some gusts of about 25 miles an hour, but for all intents and purposes, these bad boys are going to be flying,” Roker said.
Katie Hawkinson27 November 2025 14:30
Broadway stars perform
The Broadway cast of “Ragtime” performed this morning at the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The cast sang an emotional rendition of the iconic song, “Wheels of a Dream.”
Shortly afterward, the cast of the new musical “Just in Time” took the stage. The show, which premiered in April, features Jonathan Groff and Sarah Hyland.
The musical’s cast album was recently nominated for a Grammy Award.
Katie Hawkinson27 November 2025 14:24
