Since my childhood in NYC, I’ve seen the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade many times.
I can’t encourage you enough to go if you are in New York City on November 28, 2024, especially if you are traveling with kids.
On my walking tours each November, some of my guests ask about attending the parade.
In this post, I’ll tell you what I tell them so you’ll have a great time at this annual free event.
A route map, tips on where to stand for a good view, the best time to arrive and a list of balloons and performances are included.
I also suggest other things to do near the parade since once the parade passes you, you’ll have time on your hands.
Here are the most important things to know about the Thanksgiving Day Parade:
It is on Thursday, November 28, 2024.
The parade starts at 8:30 a.m. and ends at approximately 12:00 p.m.
It’s about 3 hours from when the first marchers depart the starting point in the Upper West Side until the last marchers reach Herald Square.
No tickets are required so don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!
Anyone can watch the parade along the 2.5-mile route.
Every year, new giant balloon friends are introduced though Macy’s hasn’t revealed the list yet.
Last year the newbies were Beagle Scout Snoopy and Blue Cat and Chugs. I hope we see them again!
Annual appearances usually include Pikachu and Eevee, Bluey, Grogu, Sonic the Hedgehog, Spongebob Squarepants and Gary, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Paw Patrol, Smokey the Bear, Red Titan from Ryan’s World, and more.
Additionally, there will be 6 balloonicles, 26 floats, 29 clown crews, and lots of marching bands and performance groups!
Check back with us for updates or see Macy’s website.
The parade always ends with Santa Claus. Welcoming Santa to New York is the official start of the holiday season in the city!
WHAT IS THE PARADE ROUTE?
The parade starts at West 77th Street and Central Park West just south of the American Museum of Natural History (map).
The parade marches down Central Park West to West 59th Street then heads east to 6th Avenue.
It continues south along 6th Avenue to W. 34th Street and Herald Square, where Macy’s department store is located.
Click here for a larger, interactive map.
WHERE ARE GOOD SPOTS TO WATCH THE PARADE?
The video at the top of this post provides a good explanation. Here are more ideas.
Along Central Park West:
Viewing starts at W. 75th Street (two blocks down from the official start of the parade) but is open to the public only on the west side of the street.
The east side of the street next to Central Park is closed for the grandstand seats reserved for city officials and their guests.
The parade moves along this stretch from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., so early birds who can turn up at 6 a.m. should flock here for a prime spot.
TIP: If you are at the north end of the route, you can take some time to visit Central Park or the Upper West Side neighborhood.
You might like to take one of our Central Park tours where your guide will take you to the best spots.
Columbus Circle:
No public viewing is allowed at street level around Columbus Circle but here’s a semi-secret of mine.
From the second and third floors of the Shops at Columbus Circle mall, you can see an elevated view of the parade streaming down Central Park West.
The doors open at 9 a.m. It will be crowded but go early, snag a spot, and stay warm!
As a bonus, you’ll see the Holiday Under the Stars light display, which I think is one of the prettiest holiday lights in NYC.
Sixth Avenue:
The floats and balloons reach West 59th Street and 6th Avenue at about 9:30 a.m.
The stretch along 6th Avenue between West 59th Street and West 38th Street is a great viewing location.
But if you want a prime spot, try to arrive no later than 7 a.m.
Along 6th Avenue between West 38th and West 34th Streets have extremely limited viewing and should be avoided, as should W. 34th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues.
The Parade stops in front of Macy’s Herald Square – however, there is no viewing at this location.
TIP: Guests on my tours sometimes ask where the best shopping in New York City is.
Macy’s is at the top of my list for those looking for a wide variety of brands and good sale prices.
WHO WILL BE PERFORMING THIS YEAR?
Note: The 2024 Lineup has yet to be announced as of September 2024.
Last year had a fantastic roster of performers including Cher, Bell Biv DeVoe, En Vogue, Brandy, Chicago, and Jon Batiste.
Other performers were Alex Smith, Amanda Shaw, Ashley Park, David Foster & Katharine McPhee, Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors, ENHYPEN, Jessie James Decker, Manuel Turizo, and Miss America Grace.
Other performers in the line-up were performing groups like the Big Apple Circus, Cornell Bhangra, MVSA Studios, Phantom Limb Company, Spirit of America and the Tap Dancing Christmas Trees.
You can find updates on performers here or check back with us.
SEE THE BALLOONS INFLATE THE NIGHT BEFORE
You can see the balloons being inflated on the Wednesday before the parade from 12 p.m. until 6 p.m. in a designated area by the American Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side.
To see this amazing process, you have to enter a line to follow the viewing route below.
See the Macy’s website for more information.
TIP: Since you will be right near the American Museum of Natural History, consider visiting it.
It’s one of my favorite museums and I hear from my tour guests all the time how much they enjoyed it.
After all, who doesn’t love dinosaurs?
HISTORY AND FUN FACTS
The Macy’s Parade, originally called the Macy’s Christmas Parade, acts as the city’s official kickoff of the holiday season.
The first parade was put on by Macy’s employees, who were largely immigrants to this country.
They wanted to celebrate Thanksgiving and take part in their new country’s traditions but also add a little taste of home.
Many of these workers had seen fantastic street festivals and celebrations in their native countries, and they wanted to bring some of that to their new homes.
Here’s a very brief history of the parade:
The first parade consisted of the workers dressing in costumes and marching towards Macy’s from 145th Street!) while being followed by bands, floats, and animals that were borrowed from the Central Park Zoo!
Although not as polished as what is presented today, the parade was festive and fun. Over a quarter of a million people attended. A New York tradition was born!
The iconic balloons were added a few years later in 1927 and the parade was well on its way to becoming the spectacle it is today.
The first balloon used in the parade was Felix the Cat. It was designed by Anthony Frederick Sarg, who came up with the idea based on his experience with marionette puppets.
More Fun Facts
- At the end of the 1928 parade, the balloons were released into the sky and burst! After that incident, balloons were fitted with slow-release valves and floated over the city for a few days after the parade until they eventually came down. They had return address labels on them to be mailed back to Macy’s. If you mailed one back, you got a gift!
- The first parade crowd to hit one million people was in 1933.
- 1934 was the first year Mickey Mouse appeared in the parade.
- The parade gained national prominence when the film “Miracle on 34th Street” was released in 1947. The film used footage of the parade from 1946.
- The 1947 parade was the first to be broadcast on national television.
- Snoopy has had the most balloons in parade history.
- Macy’s Parade Studio designs and builds the parade floats, which are 40 feet tall and 28 feet wide. All the floats can be folded into a 12’ x 8’ box to be taken through the Lincoln Tunnel on Thanksgiving Eve.
- More than 8,000 volunteers march in the parade.
- If wind speeds are expected to be over 34 miles per hour, the balloons are pulled out of the parade.
- Casts of Broadway shows usually perform in front of Macy’s at the end of the parade route. The shows are typically new musicals from the current season.