How the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Became a Holiday Staple

Published: November 25, 2025

By Gavin Boyle

While the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade began as a one-off publicity act, it has blossomed into a holiday staple that millions of Americans enjoy every year before embarking on the rest of their Thanksgiving day.

“The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade brings families together like nothing else on television and remains a beloved tradition for millions,” said Jen Neal, NBCUniversal Entertainment’s executive vice president of live events and specials.

This, however, was not always the case. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was first conceived in 1924 as the company looked for a way to celebrate the opening of a new 1 million square foot store in New York City. The event was meant to celebrate the upcoming Christmas season and included floats along with live animals from the nearby Central Park Zoo.

The parade ended up being extremely successful and grew into the classic tradition that we now know with the help of an expansion to audiences across the country through TV coverage which began in the 1950s. Last year, the parade stood as the No. 1 show during the holiday season as it drew 31.7 million viewers, and this year is expected to be no different.

“Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the official kickoff to the holiday season and has been part of the nation’s stories and traditions for generations,” said Will Coss, the executive producer of the parade. “The most wonderful stories start at the parade. On Thanksgiving morning, larger-than-life character balloons, awe-inspiring floats and showstopping performances will create unforgettable moments and lasting holiday memories for millions of spectators in New York City and across the country.”

This year’s TV coverage will be hosted by TODAY’s Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker. Some of the characters that will be included in this year’s float lineup include Pac-Man, Mario, Labubu, Shrek, Buzz Lightyear and Minions.

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“This year, I think, is a good representation of, as we like to say, our 1 to 100 [age] demographic,” Coss said about the entertainment this year’s parade will deliver. “We really want to aim to ensure that everyone across America has a little something to dial into. We are the soundtrack of parade morning and excited about the lineup that we have pulled together. And of course, there’ll be some more surprises released in the upcoming weeks.”

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will start at 8:30 a.m. ET and will run through noon as the procession makes its way through the streets of New York City.

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