Handlers pull the Ronald McDonald balloon down Sixth Avenue during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
NEW YORK, NY — The Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade has been a staple of American culture for decades, officially signifying the start of the holiday season. From massive helium balloons floating above the Manhattan skyline to A-list celebrities, the Macy's parade has grown to become a beloved holiday tradition.
To help ring in its 98th birthday this Turkey Day, the parade features 17 giant character balloons, 22 floats, 15 novelty and heritage inflatables, 11 marching bands, 700 clowns, 10 performance groups, and stars. While many popular characters make annual appearances in the parade, it's always exciting to see the new ones added to the lineup. This year does not disappoint as Minnie Mouse, Extraordinary Noorah" with The Elf on the Shelf, "Gabby’s Dollhouse," "Goku" and "Spider-Man" all featured brand new balloons.
The parade began on the Upper West Side and ended at Macy's flagship store in Herald Square. Check out all the best moments from Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2024 below.
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Handlers guide the SpongeBob SquarePants balloon down Sixth Avenue during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)Quenton Lindstrom and his friends and family watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade from above while inside Spirit Lab Yoga, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)A performer dressed as a candy cane walks down Sixth Avenue during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)Billy Porter performs during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)Joey McIntyre rides a float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)People watch from inside as the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade goes by, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)Pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrate on Sixth Avenue during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)New York Police arrest Pro-Palestinian protesters who were demonstrating on Sixth Avenue during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)The Macy's Great American Marching Band plays as it heads down Sixth Avenue during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)Spectators watch from an apartment balcony as Disney's Minnie Mouse balloon floats by on Central Park West during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)Handlers pull the Bluey balloon down Central Park West during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)Handlers pull the Diary of a Wimpy Kid balloon down Central Park West during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)People stand in the rain along Sixth Avenue ahead of the start of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday, November 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)People inflate floats in preparation for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)People inflate floats in preparation for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
