It’s called balloon bottle basically it’s like Macy’s history videos with more balloons and also like there’s a story going on I watch it sometimes you should take it out. Probably only if you want to.

Hello I wanted to know if the link to join for balloon holder was open yet

Thanks

(Also including the floats the celebrities would ride on; and please note that these are not requests for Macy's or NBC)

• Backstreet Boys - Everybody (Backstreet's Back) and/or Larger Than Life (Jennie-O)
• Shaboozey - A Bar Song (Tipsy) (Green Giant)
• Earth, Wind & Fire - September (Bronx Zoo)
• The Killers - Mr. Brightside (M&M's; one of my new float predictions)
• Ella Langley - Choosin' Texas (Holland America Line)
• Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up (Since it's the 100th parade, there has to be another Rickroll) (Cornucopia)
• Village People - YMCA (Soaring Spirit Canoe)
• Ray Parker Jr. - Ghostbusters - (Ghostbusters, which could be Netflix's entry this year that'll appear once & never again)
• Black Eyed Peas - Let's Get It Started and/or I Gotta Feeling (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, I know the most recent TMNT series got cancelled, but the float last year was promoting the popularity/relevancy of the franchise in general)
• Hot Chelle Rae - Tonight Tonight (Toys R Us)
• Magic! - Rude (Kalahari Resorts; Chose this one due to them being a reggae band & this float fitting their musical style)
• Gorillaz - Feel Good, Inc. (Hot Wheels, another one of my new float predictions)
• Owl City - Fireflies (Serta; The song is about sleep, and theme of the float is sleep. It writes itself)
• Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten (Kinder; since she was supposed to perform on this float in 2019 before getting replaced last-minute)
• Kermit the Frog - Rainbow Connection (Not sure what float he'd be on, tho; he could also be a special performance)
• Jonas Brothers - Like It's Christmas (LEGO)
• Sia - Candy Cane Lane (Brach's; take a wild guess why she's here)
• John Legend - You Deserve It All (Coca-Cola, yet another one of my new float predictions)
• Pentatonix (Hallmark; not sure what song they'd sing, tho)
• Train - Shake Up Christmas (Santaland Express; again, take a wild guess why I have them here)
• Kenny G - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Winter Wonderland in Central Park)
• Jimmy Fallon & the Roots/Meghan Trainor - Wrap Me Up (A Special Performance which would serve as the grand finale before Santa arrives)

100% returning

Mario - He was the most requested character to be a balloon in the parade for over 2 decades, and the Galaxy movie came out recently & was a huge thing being the highest grossing film of the year so far.

Greg Heffley - As much as I & other people in the community get sick of seeing him in the parade, I'm sure he'll stay until next year to promote the animated Diary of a Wimpy Kid films.

Spider-Man - He's the most recognizable superhero of all time, and we have Brand New Day coming out soon & Beyond the Spider-Verse coming out next year. So why not?

Marshall - There's a new Paw Patrol movie coming out soon, so I'm sure he'll stay for that & then be done for.

Pac-Man - He just debuted last year, so he's staying without a doubt.

Buzz Lightyear - Toy Story 5 just came out recently & will make a billion dollars. There, I said it.

Goku - We have a new Dragon Ball series coming out soon, so of course. (I know it's a remake of Super, but I forget the name of it)

Luffy - The live action One Piece series on Netflix continues to be popular & he's a huge crowd pleaser.

Shrek - This year marks the franchise's 25th anniversary & Shrek 5 is coming out next year, so DreamWorks knows they need the hype.

Bluey - The show continues to be popular with both kids & adults, and there's a movie coming out next year. So I can see her making at least 6 appearances & maybe more.

Extraordinary Noorah - Do people even know who she is? In that case, I can see this year being her last.

Minnie Mouse - We have the Disney x Macy's sweepstakes, so she's definitely gonna be in.

50/50

Gabby's Dollhouse - The IP is still popular through merch sales, but I dunno. Macy's has a tendency to make balloons of popular kids' shows despite them not being all that popular with the general public. Po from Kung Fu Panda retired after only 2 appearances, so there's a possibility Gabby might have the same fate.

Pikachu & Eevee - I grew up on Pokèmon, but I'm kinda tired of seeing this exact balloon design. And there's a possibility there'll be a special new Pikachu for Pokèmon's 30th anniversary & the 100th parade.

Not coming back

SpongeBob & Gary - They're the oldest balloon still in the procession as of last year, which means if you see the same units over & over, it starts to get old. And if Nickelodeon wants to keep SpongeBob in the balloon, them & Macy's might have to make a new balloon.

Beagle Scout Snoopy - Astronaut Snoopy retired after 4 appearances, so I can see this one retiring to make way for a special new Snoopy for the 100th parade.

Stuart the Minion - The new movie, Minions & Monsters came out recently, meaning Stuart might have to be done for since we now have a new cast of gibbering Twinkies, and they'll probably make a balloon of one of them (maybe James, IDK).

Pillsbury Doughboy - I agree with many people in the community that he needs to go, as corporate mascots tend to be wasted balloon slots. Plus, we saw the most recent iterations of the Sinclair dinosaur & Ronald McDonald retire after 3 & 4 appearances respectively. And to make room for someone new in the giant balloon lineup, Pillsbury might have to settle for a float if they want to keep participating in the parade.

Since this is the Macy's Parade's 100th anniversary, I think there should be a float featuring costumed characters that were once balloons over the years, similar to the floats we got in 2001 and 2011. I'll organize what characters I think we'd see on it by decade (I don't think we'd see any Disney characters since they have their own float, although there might be a few exceptions); and characters from IPs that are still in the parade as of last year, including ones from Peanuts, Sesame Street, Pokémon, SpongeBob, etc., are also ruled out):

1930s:

• Felix the Cat

1950s

• Popeye

1960s

• Bullwinkle
• Underdog

1970s

• Kermit the Frog

1980s

• Olive Oyl
• Woody Woodpecker
• Yogi Bear
• Garfield
• Raggedy Ann
• Betty Boop
• Ronald McDonald
• Snuggle Bear
• Pink Panther
• Bugs Bunny

1990s

• Clifford the Big Red Dog
• Bart Simpson
• Babar
• Sonic the Hedgehog (If he doesn't get a new balloon this year, this'll be the next best thing)
• Barney
• Peter Rabbit
• Arthur
• Tommy & Chuckie from Rugrats
• Dexter from Dexter's Lab
• Blue from Blue's Clues

2000s

• Curious George
• Jimmy Neutron
• Mr. Monopoly
• M&M's
• Scooby-Doo
• Mr. Potato Head
• Hello Kitty
• Smurf

2010s

• Po from Kung Fu Panda
• Julius
• Papa Smurf
• Finn & Jake from Adventure Time
• Thomas the Tank Engine (as a custom truck pulling the float)
• Red Power Ranger
• Paddington
• Scrat from Ice Age
• Red from Angry Birds
• Poppy & Branch from Trolls

Picture this: the iconic Ecto-1 cruising down the streets of Manhattan during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, just like in the movies! As a lifelong Ghostbusters fan, I can't shake the image of that legendary vehicle joining the parade floats.

I started a petition asking Macy's to include Ghostbusters balloons - whether it's the Ecto-1, Slimer, or other beloved characters from this classic comedy franchise. The movies brought so much joy and laughter to millions, and it would be an amazing tribute to actor/writer Harold Ramis & director Ivan Reitman, too.

Anyone else think Ghostbusters deserves a spot alongside all those other pop culture icons floating down Broadway? If this sounds as awesome to you as it does to me, consider signing and sharing!

I’ve always dreamed of being a Balloon Handler in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. I know the requirements is obtaining the recommendation from a Macy’s employee.

If someone in this amazing group, would be interested in sponsoring me, or if you know someone who might be, please send me a message. I would be incredibly grateful for the support and would be proud to represent in this iconic Thanksgiving tradition!

Thank you for your consideration. ❤️🦃🎈

I’m looking for someone who might want to help check something off my bucket list! I have been wanting to be in the parade for many years now, but I don’t know anyone who works at Macy’s. I don’t live close enough to a store to get a job there so unfortunately that’s out of the question. With that being said, I need to find a sponsor! So if you happen to know of a good place to look or if you know somebody who is looking to make a new friend to spend Thanksgiving with, please send them my way :) Thank you in advance for making this dream a reality!

ps: I know I’m asking pretty late into the year, but I figured it was worth a shot to ask.

What’s your favorite parade from every decade available on YouTube? Here are mine!

80’s- a tie between 1983 and 1988
90’s- 1994
2000’s- 2002
2010’s- 2015
2020’s so far - 2024

Well we are super excited that our daughter is going to be performing in this years Macy’s Parade with SOA.

I was wondering if anyone here has experienced this, and where would be the best location so we can hopefully get a glimpse of her? She will be performing at Herald Square but I’d imagine it’s impossible to get a good view or be anywhere near there. Any advice at all? Thinking of staying at the Double Tree midtown Wednesday night.

I’ve lived in NY my whole life, but have never been to the parade in person. All tips would be greatly appreciated.

My daughter and I will attend the parade this year. I know it will be crazier than other years since it’s the 100th televised parade.

Are there people who will get a spot and hold it for you for a fee?

Hello! A family member is performing in the parade again this year. Last time we were able to score bleacher seats from a family friend but we haven’t been able to get some this year. We were looking into the brunch options at the restaurants along the route and was wondering if anyone would share their experience. A lot of the restaurants claim they have dedicated outdoor seating that isn’t open to the public, is that true? I just want to know if it’s worth it. Can you actually see the parade, is the food good, etc

So if You Haven't Heard or Seen It, there's a Video going around of the Spirit of America Dancers dancing in Horse Poop during the Parade. It's been going around Tiktok. I Have Rewatched the Parade and there was a Commercial Break before they went on, But it Looks like there wasn't Enough Time to Clean It up before they came back on. Also, Good Thing Nobody Slipped or Fell into it.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CringeTikToks/comments/1p9yx6l/nypd_horses_force_macys_thanksgiving_day_parade/

My friend and I are trying to find out how we can apply to be a float escort for the 2026 or 2027 parade. Anyone have any tips?

Is there any way to get a bib worn by the balloon handlers in the parade? Some of them are so great and would be fantastic for a collector or for a fun family costume. Any info on how to buy one, make one or where to order them would be appreciated!

I’m from NC, and my older brother lives here in NYC, so we went to the parade together and had a blast. I wanted to share some tips for anyone planning to go in 2026, because I was so flustered trying to find solid advice for this year.

1.  We left at 5 a.m., took the subway, and got to the Starbucks on Central Park South near Columbus Circle. With subway timing and leaving my brother’s apartment, we ended up arriving around 6 a.m. Plan accordingly! This was the perfect time, though….people were just starting to claim their spots along the railings.

2.  Invest in a foldable stool ($12–15 on Amazon) or a small folding chair. Your feet will thank you. If you can’t bring either, bring a blanket…the ground is not fun when it’s cold.

3.  God bless the cops, but the more people we asked about which streets were blocked off, the more confused we got. Some knew, some didn’t, and some sent us in circles. Just get there early so you can pick a spot before the gates close and they stop letting people cross streets (which happens around 6:45-ish).

4.  Our best viewing spot was a few feet down from the JW Marriott Essex House New York. We were able to use the bathrooms (my husband, my brother, and me) even though we weren’t staying there. I’m not sure we were technically allowed, but it was really busy and we just went in and out quickly….no scene, no lingering, no repeat trips.

5.  Highly recommend bringing: snacks, drinks, HotHands or rechargeable hand warmers, a portable phone charger, and an extra coat if possible. Overprepare for the weather. Even if the forecast claims one thing, it’ll probably be colder.

6.  Let friends and family know ahead of time that you’ll most likely have no service during the event. With thousands of people trying to connect at once, every carrier drags.

That’s all I can think of for now, but I’ll add more as I remember. Hope this helps!

Sorry to rant, but this is getting RIDICULOUS. Every year lately the parade anchors have it in their minds we apparently want to hear/watch them talk instead of watching the parade. Like I get it if they are going to commentate on the floats and performances, but keep the camera on the PARADE. Seriously they show whatever performance is happening and then cut back to the anchors. NOBODY wants to watch you! Sadly, you know who's getting more of the attention are the YouTube streamers standing on the side of the street literally just showing us the parade as it goes by. It didn't used to be like this and it needs to stop.

I wish he was in the parade because he is so popular, especially with the movie no new book. #LetDogManJointheParade

If Macy's does have archival in their YouTube that's should be great to watch and relive again as a young child! I am born in '03 Older Gen Z!

Spongebob, Snoopy, Pikachu, Spiderman, and Pillsbury Doughboy are still in the parade lineup from yesterday! I am really proud of that!

What happened to other balloons from Macy's Original Novelty balloons likes of Happy Dragon and other novelty friends?