NBC Extends MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE Runtime

For the first time, the MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE will run for three-and-a-half hours, kicking off at 8:30 AM and running until noon (on Thursday, November 23), NBC announced. Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker will serve as hosts.

The parade will be simulcast on Peacock and reair at 2/1c.

“There’s nothing quite like the pageantry of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to both bring families together and welcome in the holiday season,” said Jen Neal, Executive Vice President, Live Events and Specials, NBCUniversal Media Group, in a statement. “We’re truly proud and honored to be the home of such an iconic event that so many people look forward to watching with their friends and loved ones.”

“For nearly 100 years, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has been synonymous with the beginning of the holiday season, celebration and togetherness,” added Will Coss, Executive Producer of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. “Our talented team of Macy’s Studios artisans and production specialists work year-round to deliver the nation’s most beloved holiday event, live on Thanksgiving morning. We are proud to hold this responsibility and look forward to sharing our unbelievable designs, larger-than-life character balloons and first-class entertainment, all sure to create lifelong memories for Parade fans nationwide.”



Here’s what to expect from the festivities…

“Stars on 34th Street
The Macy’s Parade is an all-star celebration, hosting some of the nation’s most talented and iconic performers. For the 97th Macy’s Parade, the legendary star of music, film, stage and television, Cher, will perform a new holiday hit and kick off the season at 34th Street.

Throughout the streets of New York City and on-board Macy’s signature floating stages will beexhilarating performances from artists including Jon Batiste, Bell Biv DeVoe; Brandy; Chicago; En Vogue; ENHYPEN; David Foster and Katharine McPhee; Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors; Jessie James Decker; Ashley Park with the cast and Muppets of Sesame Street®; Pentatonix; Paul Russell; Amanda Shaw and Alex Smith; and Manuel Turizo. U.S. Olympic Silver Medalist Jordan Chiles (Gymnastics), U.S. Paralympian Ezra Frech (Track and Field), U.S. Paralympic Gold Medalist Jessica Long (Swimming) and Miss America 2023 Grace Stanke will also join the festivities. Additional stars to be announced.

Every year, Broadway is put on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade stage for fans around the country to experience. The national broadcast audience will enjoy performances from the best of Broadway, including “& Juliet,” “Back to the Future: The Musical,” “How to Dance in Ohio,” “Shucked,” “Spamalot,” as well as the iconic Radio City Rockettes®. Stars of Broadway’s “Gutenberg! The Musical!,” Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells, will act as special live correspondents along the parade route.

Ballooning Icons
Taking flight on Thanksgiving will be the Parade’s signature character balloons. Since their introduction in 1927, these larger-than-life balloons showcase some of the world’s most beloved and iconic characters. This year, seven new featured balloons will debut, including Beagle Scout Snoopy by Peanuts Worldwide; Blue Cat & Chugs by Cool Cats, a digitally native character; Kung Fu Panda’s Po by Universal Pictures’ Dreamworks Animation; Leo by Netflix, Inc.; Monkey D. Luffy by Toei Animation Inc.; Pillsbury Doughboy™ by Pillsbury™; and Uncle Dan by Illumination.

Making a return appearance are featured character balloons, including Bluey, joined for the first time by her favorite “Keepy Uppy” red balloon, by BBC Studios; Diary Of A Wimpy Kid® by Abrams Books; DINO and Baby DINO by HF Sinclair; Goku by Toei Animation Inc.; a Funko Pop!-inspired Grogu™ by Funko ; Chase from Paw Patrol® by Spin Master & Nickelodeon; Pikachu™ & Eevee™ by The Pokémon Company International; Red Titan from “Ryan’s World” by Sunlight Entertainment and pocket.watch; Ronald McDonald® by McDonald’s® USA; SpongeBob SquarePants & Gary by Nickelodeon; and Stuart The Minion by Illumination.

The inflatable lineup also includes HF Sinclair’s Baby DINOs, the Go Bowling™ balloonicles; Smokey Bear by the USDA Forest Service; A Merry Moment by Universal Orlando Resort featuring candy cane & poinsettia balloons, stilt walkers and dancing Christmas trees; and Macy’s very own special reindeer Tiptoe.



Floating Fantasy
The skilled artisans of Macy’s Studios work year-round to create the whimsical designs that will float down the streets of New York City on Parade morning. Conceived, designed, engineered and built at the Macy’s Parade Studio – a design and production facility that includes carpenters, engineers, electricians, painters, animators, balloon technicians, sculptors, metal fabricators, scenic and costume designers – these magical stages are created to transport Parade fans across the country to fantastical places.

This year four new floats will debut in the Macy’s Parade celebration. The floating stages, along with their scheduled performers, include Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem by Nickelodeon & Paramount (Bell Biv DeVoe); Palace of Sweets by Brach’s® (Brandy); Igniting Memories by Solo Stove (Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors); and The Deliciously Delectable World of Wonka by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Returning floats and respective scheduled performers include 1-2-3 Sesame Street® by Sesame Workshop™ (the cast and Muppets of Sesame Street® & Ashley Park); Big City Cheer! by Spirit Of America Productions (Miss America 2023 Grace Stanke); Big Turkey Spectacular by Jennie-O (Paul Russell); Birds Of A Feather Stream Together by Peacock® (with an appearance by U.S. Olympic Silver Medalist Jordan Chiles and U.S. Paralympic Gold Medalist Jessica Long); The Brick-Changer by The LEGO Group (Manuel Turizo); Camp Snoopy by Peanuts Worldwide; Celebration Gator by Louisiana Office of Tourism (Alex Smith & Amanda Shaw); Colossal Wave Of Wonder by Kalahari Resorts and Conventions (En Vogue); Deck The Halls by Balsam Hill® (Jessie James Decker); Elf Pets® by The Lumistella Company®; Fantasy Chocolate Factory by Kinder® (Pentatonix); Geoffrey’s Dazzling Dance Party by Toys“R”Us; Harvest In The Valley by Green Giant®; Heartwarming Holiday Countdown by Hallmark Channel (David Foster and Katharine McPhee); Magic Meets The Sea by Disney Cruise Line (Captain Minnie Mouse, Captain Mickey Mouse and Friends); Pinkfong Baby Shark by The Pinkfong Company & Nickelodeon (ENHYPEN); People Of First Light ; Santa’s Sleigh (Santa Claus); Tom Turkey; Winter Wonderland in Central Park; and The Wondership by Wonder (Chicago).

Specialty units for the 2023 Macy’s Parade include Big Red Shoe Car ® by McDonald’s® and the Good Burgermobile by Nickelodeon & Paramount+.

Completing the float lineup will be a special appearance by the Macy’s Singing Christmas Tree, featuring a holiday choir comprised of Macy’s colleagues with Bigs and Littles from Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS). The creation of this special ensemble furthers Macy’s commitment to youth empowerment through its social purpose platform, Mission Every One, celebrating the power of mentorship and a multiyear partnership between Macy’s and BBBS.



Strike Up the Band
The Macy’s Parade holds a cherished and longstanding tradition of showcasing the nation’s finest marching bands. This November gifted musicians joining the line of march include Alabama A&M University Marching Maroon and White (Huntsville, AL); The Band Directors Marching BandTM (United States); Fishers High School Marching Tiger Band (Fishers, IN); Greendale High School Marching Band(Greendale, WI); Jenison High School Marching Band (Jenison, MI); Macy’s Great American Marching Band (United States); Mercer Island High School Marching Band (Mercer Island, WA); NYPD Marching Band (New York, NY); O’Fallon Township High School Marching Panthers (O’Fallon, IL); Rutgers University Marching Scarlet Knights (Piscataway, NJ); Stoneman Douglas Eagle Regiment High School Marching Band (Parkland, FL); and Texas Tech University Goin’ Band from Raiderland (Lubbock, TX).

Performance Spotlight
Completing the entertainment lineup are dynamic performance groups, charged with entertaining the crowds along the streets of Manhattan and delivering a show-stopping performance on 34th Street. These groups include the Big Apple Circus; Cornell Bhangra from Ithaca, NY; Tiptoe’s Winter Guard, accompanying Tiptoe; the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters; Maria Verdeja School of Arts (MVSA) dancers from Miami; St. John’s Dance; and the Tap Dancing Christmas Trees from California.

Rounding out the performance lineup are the young dancers and cheerleaders of Spirit of America Dance and Spirit of America Cheer. These two groups together include more than 1,200 of the best dancers and cheerleader performers.”

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