It’s almost time for one of the biggest holiday events of the year: the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade made its debut in 1924, and this year will celebrate its 98th edition on November 28.
Each year, more than 3.5 million spectators wake up early and carry their lawn chairs or ladders to snag a front-line view along the 2.5-mile parade route in the Big Apple. Another 50 million-plus viewers watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade at home while the turkey is roasting.
The 2024 procession promises to be “the largest yet” with more than 5,000 volunteers, 17 giant character balloons, 22 floats, 15 heritage and novelty balloons, more than 700 clowns, 11 marching bands, and 10 performance groups.
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You may be wondering how much an event as grand as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade costs. While Macy’s and NYC won’t disclose that information, it’s safe to assume its continued success brings in millions in revenue for the city of New York each year.
“As with any gift, its value isn’t derived cost, but how much it means to people,” a Macy’s spokesperson told Kiplinger. “We are proud to create experiences that bring joy to millions across the nation and bring people together in celebration.”
New to debut on Macy’s 98th Thanksgiving Day Parade
The magic behind Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade doesn’t happen overnight. Artisans at Macy’s Studios design and engineer the new floats and animations you’ll get to enjoy months ahead of Turkey Day.
This year, seven new floats will debut in the Macy’s Parade, including some family favorites:
- Dora’s Fantastical Rainforest by Nickelodeon and Paramount
- Magic Meets the Seas by Disney Cruise Line
- Wednesday’s Feast by Netflix
- Candy Cosmos by Haribo
- Wondrous World of Wildlife by the Bronx Zoo
- Pasta Knight by RAO’s
- Strikes Again by Go Bowling!
Behind the scenes, the talented team of creatives that bring the floats to life consists of animators, balloon technicians, electricians, costume and scenic designers, sculptures, and painters, just to name a few.
Feeling hungry? To get an idea of the intricacy of these designs, RAO’s float will feature a pasta knight with armor made of different pasta shapes like Orecchiette, Fusilli, Penne, Tortiglioni, Rotelle, and Rigatoni.
“We have a really fun float from RAO’s Homemade featuring a dragon made of pasta fighting a knight riding a rigatoni pony,” said Kathleen Wright, director of production operations at Macy’s Studios. “Such a fun and creative execution of what it means to be in the Macy’s Day Parade.”
Dora’s Fantastical Rainforest float by Dora-Nickelodeon is seen during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Studio Day 2024 on November 19, 2024 in Moonachie, New Jersey.
How much do floats cost?
Whether you are counting the amount of pasta it takes to build a knight’s armor, or crafting real-sized animal animatronics, the price can add up quickly when building a float.
Two years ago, construction costs for a float averaged $30,000 to $100,000, according to estimates by GoBankingRates.
Where do the floats sleep year-round?
Before making their way toward the start of the parade route at 77th Street & Central Park West — the floats, balloons, and costumes reside at Macy’s Parade Studio in Moonachie, New Jersey year-round.
In the words of Macy’s Studios' director of creative production Brendan Kennedy, the warehouse is “about 72,000 square feet of magic.”
Macy’s pays about $138,573 in annual property taxes for this location alone.
(It's worth noting that while New Jersey is left unscathed, NYC has been at the center of a landmark lawsuit arguing against its property tax system.)
Six new character balloons to soar NYC’s skies
One of the most exciting parts of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is looking at the “larger-than-life” balloons. They’ve been a hallmark of the tradition since debuting in 1927, and this year, you’ll see six new character balloons make their debut.
Disney’s one-and-only Minnie Mouse by The Walt Disney Company; the Extraordinary Noorah & The Elf on the Shelf are slated to be new favorites gracing New York City’s skyline on Thanksgiving morning.
But also keep an eye out for these other fantastic floats:
- Gabby by DreamWorks Animation
- Goku by Dragon Ball/ Toei Animation
- Marshall by Nickelodeon
- Spin Master; and Spider-Man by Marvel
Before arriving to Manhattan on parade day, the giant character balloons are filled with helium and tested in real weather conditions. With good reason too: Minnie Mouse is a 60-ft long, 60-ft tall balloon. That’s nearly five stories tall and wide. Her debut comes one week after her birthday, on Nov. 18
“It’s going to be an action-packed 3.5 hours of entertainment with audiences from one to one-hundred,” Will Coss, executive producer at Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade said in a preview of the balloons.
If you’re in the Upper West Side neighborhood a few days before the parade, you can catch a glimpse of the balloons as they are set up and filled for the big day.
Minnie Mouse at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Balloonfest Preview at MetLife Stadium on November 02, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
How much money goes into balloons?
In years past, inflating the balloons with 300,000 to 700,000 cubic feet of helium has reportedly cost — at minimum — half a million dollars. New balloons have cost sponsors about $190,000, with returning sponsors getting a discounted price of $90,000.
While neither Macy’s nor the City shares information about the finances related, in 1997 sponsors were estimated to generate $5.3 million from marketing and promotions tied to the parade and another $6.6 million in “indirect” activity following the event. Overall, it brought New York City over $24 million in revenue.
That alone can justify the expense of participating in the parade.
Where to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
If you’re not in Manhattan bracing the cold to catch a glimpse of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade along its designated route, you can have one of the best seats of the event from the comfort of your home.
The parade will stream on NBC and Peacock, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., in all time zones. TODAY’s Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker will host the 2024 parade. You can also enjoy the festivities in Spanish on Telemundo.
The 98th procession will kick off at 77th Street and Central Park West and march its way toward Macy’s Herald Square Flagship. Spectators will get to see a number of musical and dance performances including Jimmy Fallon & The Roots, Radio City Rockettes, T-Pain, and The Temptations, to name a few.
Broadway numbers from Hell’s Kitchen, Death Becomes Her, and The Outsiders, winner of this year’s Tony Award for Best Musical, will also make an appearance.
From costumes, glitter, confetti, floats, balloons, and volunteers that come together to celebrate the parade — the memories made on that Thanksgiving morning are priceless.
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