macy's thanksgiving day parade 2025

Your Ultimate Guide to the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Manhattan

As the autumn chill settles over Toronto and the leaves begin to turn, minds across Canada naturally drift toward the upcoming holiday season. For many, the official kick-off to the holidays isn't the shopping frenzy of Black Friday or the twinkling lights of December, but a beloved American tradition that has become a global spectacle: the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

In 2025, the parade returns to the streets of Manhattan for its 99th iteration, promising a morning filled with gargantuan character balloons, elaborate floats, and powerhouse musical performances. While Thanksgiving is an American holiday, the event has cemented itself as a must-watch tradition for Canadian families, offering a dose of festive cheer and entertainment from the comfort of our living rooms.

Here is everything you need to know about the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, from the star-studded lineup to how you can tune in from the Great White North.

The Main Event: A 99th Anniversary Spectacle

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is more than just a procession; it is a massive logistical and artistic operation that signals the start of the holiday season in the United States. This year, the parade continues its traditional route, stepping off at 77th Street and Central Park West, marching down to Herald Square, and concluding at Macy’s flagship store on 34th Street.

The 2025 edition is particularly special as it approaches a major milestone—the centennial celebration next year. With that in mind, organizers have pulled out all the stops for the 99th annual event. According to reports from USA Today and Global News, the sky over Manhattan will be filled with 34 massive character balloons, ensuring that fan favourites and new additions will tower over the crowds.

The event is a sensory overload in the best way possible. It combines the nostalgia of classic balloons with the excitement of contemporary pop culture. For Canadians, it’s a front-row seat to a cultural phenomenon that blends Broadway showmanship, circus-like whimsy, and the sheer scale of American entertainment production.

When and Where to Watch from Canada

One of the most common questions for Canadian viewers is how to catch the action live, given the time difference and channel availability.

The Schedule: The parade kicks off at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, November 27, 2025. For viewers in Ontario, Quebec, and the Eastern provinces, that means an 8:30 a.m. start. For those in the West, the parade will begin at 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time—quite the early start for those hoping to catch the opening moments!

How to Stream and Watch: While traditional cable remains an option for those with access to NBC, the easiest way for most Canadians to watch is via streaming. NBC’s coverage is typically available on their Peacock streaming service, and many Canadians utilize VPNs or cable packages that include US networks to watch the live broadcast. Additionally, Global News often provides coverage and clips for Canadian audiences. Expect extensive highlights and clips to be available on YouTube and social media platforms throughout the morning if you can't catch the live feed.

The 2025 Lineup: Stars, Floats, and Balloons

The heart of the parade lies in its participants. The 2025 lineup is a mix of Broadway debuts, musical heavyweights, and the return of beloved tradition.

Star-Studded Performances

The parade is a stage for some of the biggest names in music and theatre. This year’s performers are set to deliver high-energy sets from their floats.

• Cynthia Erivo: Fresh off her role in the highly anticipated film adaptation of Wicked, Erivo opened the parade with a powerhouse performance. Just days after the film's release, she spoke with Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie about her projects and her Thanksgiving plans—which reportedly involve plenty of rest.
• Ciara: The R&B superstar brings her chart-topping hits to the parade route, adding a high-energy pop vibe to the morning.
• Foreigner: In a nod to classic rock, the legendary band Foreigner is set to perform, delighting fans of all ages.
• Shaggy & Gavin DeGraw: Rounding out the diverse musical lineup are Shaggy, bringing his signature reggae-pop sound, and Gavin DeGraw, known for his soulful pop anthems.

The Giants of the Sky: Balloons and Floats

The visual spectacle of the parade is defined by its balloons and floats. The 2025 parade features a staggering array of characters.

• Balloons: The lineup includes 34 giant balloons, ranging from classic characters to modern pop culture icons. New additions are always a closely guarded secret until they appear, but the tradition of seeing beloved characters like Snoopy, Mickey Mouse, and Pikachu (or their current iteration) towering over the Manhattan skyline is a constant.
• Floats: There are 28 floats planned for 2025. These elaborate moving stages carry the performers and the parade’s signature "clown crews."
• Balloonsicles and Specialty Units: Adding to the whimsy are 4 balloonicles (balloon-vehicle hybrids) and 14 specialty units, which include everything from marching bands to acrobatic troupes.

The sheer number of participants—including 33 clown groups and 11 marching bands—highlights the scale of the operation. It takes thousands of volunteers and hours of preparation to bring these characters to life.

A Look Back: The History of the Parade

To truly appreciate the 2025 spectacle, it helps to understand the parade's deep roots. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was first held in 1924, making the 2025 event the 99th annual iteration. It was started by Macy’s employees, many of whom were European immigrants, to celebrate their new American heritage and to mark the official opening of the "World’s Largest Store."

The first parade was quite different from what we see today. It didn't feature the giant balloons we know and love; instead, it showcased live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo. It was a hit, but the live animals proved to be a bit too frightening for some of the younger attendees. In 1927, the zoo animals were retired in favour of the inflated balloons, a tradition that has endured ever since.

The parade has only been cancelled three times in its history: from 1942 to 1944 during World War II, when rubber and helium were needed for the war effort. Its resilience has made it a symbol of continuity and celebration for generations.

The Canadian Connection

While the parade is undeniably American, it holds a special place in Canadian culture. For decades, Canadian broadcasters have carried the event, and it has become a background ritual for many Canadian households preparing their own Thanksgiving meals (which, of course, took place in October). It serves as a bridge between the two nations' cultures, sharing in the spirit of gratitude and community.

The Logistics: What It Takes to Make the Magic

One of the most fascinating aspects of the parade is the behind-the-scenes work, which often goes unnoticed by the millions of viewers at home.

Inflation: A Welcome Form of Inflation The balloons don't just appear on the morning of the parade. They are inflated the night before, a process that transforms a quiet Manhattan neighbourhood into a surreal, colourful wonderland. As reported by the Richmond News, the inflation event has become a tourist attraction in its own right. The process takes place around Central Park West and 77th Street, where volunteers and professionals use high-powered fans to bring the massive vinyl characters to life.

The term "inflation" usually has a negative connotation in economics, but in this context, it’s a "welcome form of inflation," turning the street into a gallery of giant art. The sight of half-deflated character heads and limbs waiting to be fully inflated is a unique photo opportunity that captures the whimsy of the event.

Safety and Security Given the scale of the event and the crowds it attracts, security is paramount. The New York Police Department (NYPD) implements a comprehensive security plan, closing streets and monitoring the crowds. The route is lined with barricades, and officers are stationed at key points to ensure the safety of the marchers and spectators. This logistical effort is a testament to the city's commitment to maintaining the parade as a safe, family-friendly event.

The Economic and Social Impact

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is not just a cultural event; it is an economic engine for New York City and the surrounding region.

Tourism Boost The parade draws hundreds of thousands of spectators to Manhattan, filling hotels, restaurants, and shops. For the city’s tourism industry, it is one of the busiest weekends of the year. The global television audience, estimated in the tens of millions, serves as a massive advertisement for New York City,