Thanksgiving morning in New York City has a sound all its own: marching bands echoing between skyscrapers, crowds cheering from the sidewalks, and the slow, spectacular drift of giant balloons overhead. On Thursday, November 26, 2026, that tradition reaches a once-in-a-century milestone — the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Whether you plan to watch from a Manhattan sidewalk or from your couch, here is everything you need to know about the route, the start time, how to watch on television and streaming, and the balloons and floats Macy’s has already announced for its centennial march.
This year’s parade is a big deal even by Macy’s standards. The parade debuted in 1924 and was suspended from 1942 to 1944 during World War II, which is why the 100th edition lands in 2026 rather than 2024. To mark the occasion, Macy’s says the 2026 parade will feature a record 100 inflatable elements — the largest balloon lineup in the event’s history — along with returning favorites, brand-new characters, and the traditional finale: Santa Claus arriving at Herald Square to officially open the holiday season.
When Is the Parade, and What Time Does It Start?
The 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade takes place on Thursday, November 26, 2026, Thanksgiving Day. The parade steps off at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time and runs until about noon, when Santa Claus reaches Macy’s Herald Square flagship store at 34th Street. That 8:30 a.m. start is half an hour earlier than the 9 a.m. start used in 2025, so set your alarm accordingly — especially if you are watching from the West Coast, where the broadcast begins at 8:30 a.m. in all time zones.
One timing detail catches first-time viewers by surprise: the parade does not pass every point on the route at 8:30. The balloons and floats leave the starting point at 77th Street and Central Park West at 8:30, but they take time to travel the roughly two-and-a-half-mile route. Spectators near the start will see the action earliest, while those near Herald Square will wait until later in the morning — with the biggest moments, including the Broadway performances and Santa’s arrival, unfolding toward noon. If you are watching on television, the broadcast covers the full parade from start to finish, so you will not miss a thing.
How to Watch on TV and Streaming
You do not need to be in New York to enjoy the parade. According to Macy’s, Inc., the 100th parade will air live on Thursday, November 26 on NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo, starting at 8:30 a.m. in all time zones. That means viewers in every part of the country can tune in at the same local time — 8:30 a.m. Eastern, 7:30 a.m. Central, 6:30 a.m. Mountain, and 5:30 a.m. Pacific for the live broadcast window as scheduled by the networks — and stream it on Peacock if you prefer to watch on a phone, tablet, or smart TV.
The broadcast is a show in itself, with hosts stationed along the route, live performances from Broadway casts in front of the Herald Square store, and cameras capturing the balloons from angles no sidewalk spectator can get. If you miss the live airing, check Peacock and NBC’s platforms for replays and highlights, which have traditionally been available later on Thanksgiving Day. For the very latest broadcast details, Macy’s directs fans to macys.com/parade, the parade’s official home, where lineup news and viewing information are posted as the holiday approaches.
The Parade Route Through Manhattan
The parade follows its traditional path through the heart of Manhattan, a route it has used for years. It begins at 77th Street and Central Park West on the Upper West Side, then travels south down Central Park West for eighteen blocks to Columbus Circle. From there it turns east onto Central Park South (59th Street), continues to Sixth Avenue, and then heads south down Sixth Avenue to 34th Street, finishing in front of Macy’s Herald Square flagship store.
The full route is about two and a half miles long, with designated public viewing areas along much of it. Two stretches are traditionally recommended for spectators: the west side of Central Park West between 75th and 63rd Streets, which offers a relatively calmer atmosphere and a view of the balloons soon after they step off, and Sixth Avenue between 59th and 38th Streets, where the parade passes through Midtown in full swing. Note that the area immediately around Herald Square itself is reserved for grandstand seating, which is by invitation only — no grandstand tickets are sold to the public — so plan to watch from another point on the route if you are heading into the city.
Because the route runs through some of Manhattan’s busiest streets, road closures and crowd controls are extensive on parade morning. The New York City Police Department closes cross streets along the route, and subway service is the most reliable way to get to a viewing spot. Check the MTA’s service advisories before you travel, and be prepared for security screenings and bag checks at viewing areas, which are standard for an event of this size.
The 100th Parade Lineup: Balloons and Floats Announced So Far
Macy’s has been revealing its centennial lineup in stages, and what is confirmed already makes 2026 the most balloon-filled parade ever. In its official countdown announcement, Macy’s, Inc. confirmed that the parade will feature 100 inflatable elements, including the return of the Blue Hippopotamus balloon, a character that has been missing from the parade since 1931. The announcement also introduced new characters Billie Brightpaw and Tom Jr., along with a reimagined Underdog balloon.
Other confirmed balloons come from NBCUniversal’s family of characters. Universal Orlando Resort’s Earl the Squirrel — the holiday character beloved by theme park fans — will make his giant balloon debut in the 2026 parade, a brand-new balloon standing 30.4 feet tall and 14.5 feet wide, showing Earl in his signature winter cap holding a blue Christmas light. The same lineup includes DreamWorks Animation’s Shrek, Gabby’s Dollhouse, and Underdog, Illumination’s Minions, and Felix the Cat, who made history in 1927 as the parade’s very first character balloon. Felix returning for the 100th parade is a fitting nod to nearly a century of balloon history.
One of the most popular announcements for families is the brand-new Bluey balloon. BBC Studios and Macy’s announced a giant Bluey balloon inspired by the fan-favorite “Christmas Swim” episode, bringing the beloved blue heeler back to the skies above New York — Bluey first took flight in the parade in 2022, and the Christmas-themed design is new for 2026. The full parade lineup continues to grow as Thanksgiving approaches, and Macy’s has said additional participation details will be shared in the coming weeks, so check the official parade page before the holiday for the final list of balloons, floats, marching bands, and performance groups.
The floats are getting centennial treatment too. GEICO will make its parade debut in 2026 with a “Road Trip to Parade” float, designed by Macy’s Studios artisans, carrying the GEICO Gecko and friends on a cross-country journey to New York — a nod to the company’s 90th anniversary. The PLANTERS brand returns with an all-new float celebrating 120 years of the brand and 110 years of MR. PEANUT, featuring a Ferris wheel showing the evolution of the iconic character from a design drawn by a 14-year-old boy in 1916 to his modern-day appearance, with peanut-shaped confetti bursting from his famous top hat as the float travels to Herald Square.
A Century of Thanksgiving Tradition
The parade’s story is part of why it endures. It began in 1924 as a Christmas parade organized by Macy’s employees, many of them immigrants who wanted to celebrate their new home’s holiday season with the kind of festival they remembered from Europe. The first parade featured live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo, along with Macy’s employees in costume and bands. The giant character balloons that define the parade today arrived a few years later, with Felix the Cat leading the way in 1927.
Over the decades, the parade became a Thanksgiving morning ritual for millions of American families, broadcast nationwide and woven into the holiday itself — the turkey goes in the oven, the parade goes on the television, and Santa’s arrival at the end signals that Christmas season has officially begun. The parade was suspended only during World War II, from 1942 to 1944, when rubber and helium were needed for the war effort. That interruption is why the 100th parade falls in 2026, more than a century after the first march.
The balloons themselves are engineering marvels. Each giant balloon is guided by dozens of trained handlers holding long ropes, and the balloons are designed to fly at a carefully controlled height — high enough to thrill the crowds, low enough to clear streetlights and buildings. On windy days, balloons may fly lower or, in extreme conditions, be grounded for safety, which is why weather is always part of the parade-day conversation. The balloon inflation event the day before the parade has become a beloved tradition of its own, drawing crowds who want to see the giants up close before they take flight.
Watching in Person: Tips for Parade Day
If you are heading to New York for the parade, a little planning goes a long way. Watching from public sidewalks along the route is completely free — no tickets are needed, and no one can sell you a legitimate sidewalk spot. The trade-off is that the best spots go early. For a front-row view along Central Park West or Sixth Avenue, plan to arrive by 6 a.m. or 6:30 a.m., and be prepared for crowds, cold weather, and a long wait before the first balloon appears.
Dress for a New York November morning, which can be cold, windy, or both. Layers, warm shoes, gloves, and a hat are essential, and a portable phone charger is a good idea if you plan to take photos or video. Bring snacks and water, and know where the nearest restrooms and subway stations are before you settle in, because leaving a good spot to find facilities means losing it. If you are traveling with children, pick a spot near the start of the route, where crowds tend to be thinner and the wait is shorter, and consider the balloon inflation viewing the day before as a less crowded alternative.
The balloon inflation celebration takes place on Wednesday, November 25, 2026, near the American Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side, around 77th and 81st Streets. It is free to attend, and it offers a rare chance to see the balloons up close on the ground as crews inflate them. Hours are announced by Macy’s closer to the event, so check the official parade page before you go.
Getting around Manhattan on parade morning requires patience. Crosstown traffic is heavily restricted from roughly 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., and driving near the route is not practical. Take the subway, allow extra time, and follow the directions of police officers and parade staff, who manage the flow of hundreds of thousands of spectators. If you are staying in a hotel, ask about parade-morning services — many Midtown hotels offer special viewing packages or breakfast events for guests.
Why the 100th Parade Matters
There is something fitting about a centennial parade arriving in a year when so many American families are looking for shared traditions. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is one of the few events that genuinely brings the whole country together at the same moment — different time zones, different households, the same balloons drifting down Sixth Avenue. It is free, it is joyful, and it asks nothing of its audience except to look up.
For New Yorkers, the parade is also a point of civic pride, a reminder that their city can stage something joyful on a grand scale. For everyone else, it is the unofficial start of the holiday season, a morning of spectacle before an afternoon of turkey, football, and family. However you watch — from a sidewalk on Central Park West, from a living room couch, or on a phone while the turkey rests — the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade promises to be one worth remembering. Set your alarm for 8:30 a.m., check the latest parade details before you go, and enjoy the show.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2026?
Thursday, November 26, 2026, Thanksgiving Day. The parade starts at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time and runs until about noon, ending with Santa Claus at Macy’s Herald Square.
What channel is the parade on, and can I stream it?
The parade airs live on NBC and Telemundo and streams on Peacock, starting at 8:30 a.m. in all time zones. Check the official parade page at macys.com/parade for the latest broadcast details.
Do I need tickets to watch the parade in person?
No. Watching from public sidewalks along the route is free, and no public tickets are sold. Grandstand seating near Herald Square is by invitation only. Arrive early — by 6 or 6:30 a.m. — for a good sidewalk spot.
What is the parade route?
The traditional route starts at 77th Street and Central Park West, goes south to Columbus Circle, east along Central Park South (59th Street) to Sixth Avenue, then south down Sixth Avenue to 34th Street and Macy’s Herald Square — about two and a half miles in total.