Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Countdown

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2026 is on November 26, 2026, Thanksgiving morning, stepping off at 8:30 a.m. This countdown ticks down to the giant balloons, marching bands and Santa's grand finale through the streets of Manhattan.

How many days until Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2026?

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2026 is on Thursday, November 26, 2026, which is 126 days away. The live countdown above ticks down to the exact moment, to the second.

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Macy's Thanksgiving Parade's story so far

1924The very first parade had no balloons at all — it featured a menagerie of live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo, including elephants, bears, camels, and monkeys.

1927Giant character balloons debuted, designed by puppeteer Tony Sarg and built with Goodyear, replacing the zoo animals after their roars scared young spectators.

1928Macy's began releasing the helium balloons into the sky at the end of the route as a finale, letting them float off over the city and eventually burst on their own.

1932The tradition of releasing balloons skyward ended after a loose Tom Cat balloon wrapped around the wing of a small plane over Queens, nearly bringing it down.

1953NBC aired the parade's first coast-to-coast national broadcast, turning the local spectacle into an annual TV tradition for families across the country.

1968The original Snoopy balloon, designed by Goodyear engineer William Ludwick, made its debut — the start of a run that would make Snoopy the most-featured character balloon in parade history.

1997Wind gusts over 40 mph battered the parade, and a Cat in the Hat balloon struck a lamppost and injured a spectator; the incident led Macy's to adopt new wind-safety rules for grounding balloons.

Parade records

Tallest balloon ever flownOlive Oyl & Swee'Pea (1986) — 102 feet tall

First video-game character balloonSonic the Hedgehog, 1993

Longest-running character balloonSnoopy — 8 different balloon designs since debuting in 1968, more appearances than any other character

Balloons over Manhattan

Since 1924, Macy's has marched its Thanksgiving Day Parade through New York City, famous for its skyscraper-sized character balloons, floats and Broadway numbers. It airs nationally on NBC beginning at 8:30 a.m. in every U.S. time zone.

Santa brings up the rear

By tradition, Santa Claus closes the parade, unofficially kicking off the holiday season. The route runs through Manhattan and ends at Macy's flagship store in Herald Square.

The year the balloons went to war

In November 1942, with rubber and helium rationed for World War II, Macy's canceled the parade and donated its giant balloons to the war effort. At a public ceremony, Mayor Fiorello La Guardia accepted the deflated stars — about 650 pounds of rubber, destined for tires and life rafts — with the famous dragon balloon dramatically punctured for the cameras. The parade stayed dark through 1944 and returned in 1945, a joyful signal that peacetime Thanksgivings were back.

See the giants inflate the night before

The parade's best-kept open secret is the free balloon inflation event on Thanksgiving Eve, when crews spend about 90 minutes per balloon filling the giants on the streets around the American Museum of Natural History (West 77th to 81st Streets). On parade morning, claim a curb spot along Central Park West or Sixth Avenue by around 6 a.m. — skip Herald Square, which is reserved for the TV broadcast — or watch from home on NBC and Peacock.

Quick facts

Held every Thanksgiving morning since 1924
Steps off at 8:30 a.m. local time
Famous for giant character balloons
Santa Claus traditionally closes the parade
About 3.5 million spectators line the route in person
Each giant balloon takes roughly 90 minutes to inflate with helium

Parade-day survival kit

Curbside in November is no joke — bundle up and hold your spot.

Hand warmers Insulated thermos Folding stool Warm beanie & gloves Fleece blanket Rain poncho

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Learn more

Macy's (official) Wikipedia Watch on NBC

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2026 — frequently asked questions

When is Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2026?

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2026 is on Thursday, November 26, 2026.

How many days until Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2026?

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 2026 is on Thursday, November 26, 2026, which is 126 days away. The live countdown above ticks down to the exact moment, to the second.

Updated July 2026 · alarm-clock.org

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