MACY’S ANNOUNCES LINE-UP FOR 90TH ANNUAL THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE
Details have been announced for the 90th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which will take place on Thursday, November 24 in New York City. The TODAY Show’s Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie and Al Roker will host the three-hour broadcast from 9 a.m. until noon (in all time zones).
The famed spectacle’s line-up will feature 16 giant character balloons; 27 novelty/ornament balloons, balloonicles and trycaloons; 26 floats; 1,100 cheerleaders and dancers; more than 1,000 clowns; and 16 marching bands and performance groups.
Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear and the rest of the Muppets will kick off the celebration, while the Parade’s executive producer Amy Kule will cut the ribbon that opens the march alongside U.S. Paralympic stars Tatyana and Hannah McFadden.
Entertainment in Herald Square will feature cast members from the Broadway show Holiday Inn, a sneak peak at NBC’s Hairspray Live, among other musical shows, as well as the world-famous Radio City Rockettes. Performers joining the festivities along the parade route this year are Kelsea Ballerini; Tony Bennett; Aloe Blacc; Chloe x Halle; Easton Corbin; Daya; De La Soul; Diamante Eléctrico; Brett Eldredge; Fitz & the Tantrums; Christopher Jackson; Johnnyswim; Sandra Lee; Maddie & Tae; Sarah McLachlan; NHL legends Adam Graves and Eric Lindros; Ben Rector; Regina Spektor;; Sprout’s Chica; Timeflies; U.S. Olympic Gold Medalists Michelle Carter,Laurie Hernandez and Claressa Shields; U.S. Paralympic Gold Medalists Mikey Brannigan, Gianfranco Iannotta; Grace VanderWaal; Jacob Whitesides, the Kilgore Rangerettes, Sayat Nova Dance Company, and the Tap Dancing Christmas Trees.
This year will see the return of the Charlie Brown and the whimsical Diary of A Wimpy Kid balloons, as well as the debut of the stars of DreamWorks’ Trolls in a multi-character balloon. The balloon line-up will also feature the return of the Parade’s first balloon star. Felix the Cat. Also this year, four new floats will debut: The Aloha Spirit by King’s Hawaiian, Building A Better World by Girl Scouts of the USA, Deck the Halls by Balsam Hill, and Fun House by Krazy Glue.
In celebration of this year’s 90th march, Macy’s will air a heartwarming commercial, debuting in mid-November, which follows a young boy from his first Macy’s Parade experience through to his 90th year,
“Since our historic first march in 1924, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has been a call to celebration. Over the years, generations have gathered to enjoy the spectacle of high-flying balloons, fantasy floats, incredible performers, and the one-and-only Santa Claus, as the annual march became synonymous with the start of the holiday season,” said KUle “This year, as we celebrate 90 years of magical moments, we are truly humbled by the unique role the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade fills in the lives of millions worldwide, and we are thrilled to celebrate this special milestone with a spectacular line-up filled with amazing new and commemorative elements that will continue our storied legacy of unparalleled holiday entertainment.”