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The 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade aired on Thursday, November 27, 2025, beginning at 8:30 a.m. local time across the United States. NBC carried the English-language television broadcast, Peacock streamed the coverage, and Telemundo offered a Spanish-language simulcast. NBC also scheduled an encore for 2 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time.
The parade has already taken place, so this is a recap and viewing guide to the 2025 broadcast—not an upcoming-event schedule. Highlights included Cynthia Erivo’s opening performance, the live-action parade debut of HUNTR/X from KPop Demon Hunters, Broadway casts at Herald Square, the Rockettes’ 100th-anniversary appearance, and new balloons and floats featuring Buzz Lightyear, PAC-MAN, Shrek, Mario, LEGO and Labubu.
How to watch the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
| Detail | 2025 information |
|---|---|
| Date | Thursday, November 27, 2025 |
| Start time | 8:30 a.m. in all U.S. time zones |
| English-language broadcast | NBC |
| English-language streaming | Peacock |
| Spanish-language simulcast | Telemundo |
| NBC encore | 2 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time |
| Preview special | Countdown to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Wednesday, November 26, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock |
For the original live broadcast, viewers could watch NBC through a participating television provider or use Peacock’s live NBC stream. Peacock’s 2025 presentation also offered Multiview from 8:30 a.m. to noon Eastern, with a classic broadcast feed, a float-level view and a high-rise camera angle.
That Multiview option was a feature of the 2025 Peacock coverage. It should not be treated as a permanent feature guaranteed for every future parade. Likewise, although Peacock streamed the 2025 event live, its current event page says the parade is not presently available on demand. In other words, the 2025 broadcast and its current replay availability are two different questions.
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Readers planning for a later Macy’s parade should check the current NBC, Peacock and Telemundo schedules rather than relying on the 2025 times or replay status.
Who hosted the parade?
NBC’s primary English-language hosts were Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker, all associated with TODAY. Telemundo’s Spanish-language simulcast was hosted by Andrea Meza, Aleyda Ortiz and Clovis Nienow.
The television broadcast mixed host segments with musical numbers, Broadway performances, balloon arrivals, float presentations, marching bands, clown groups and reports from along the Manhattan route. The official pre-parade announcement combined performers, appearances and special correspondents in one broad lineup, so not everyone named in the announcement should automatically be described as a performer on the televised portion.
Where did the 2025 parade take place?
The procession began near West 77th Street and Central Park West on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. It traveled approximately 2.5 miles through Manhattan before ending at Macy’s Herald Square flagship store on 34th Street.
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That route matters because the television broadcast showed a curated selection of performances and camera angles, while street spectators experienced the entire procession: balloons, floats, marching bands, clown groups and the large audience along the parade corridor. New York City event documents listed restrictions and street closures extending from the Upper West Side through Midtown.
Herald Square was especially important to the broadcast because many featured performances took place near the Macy’s flagship. Lainey Wilson performed in front of the store, and several Broadway productions were represented there.
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The best musical performances and highlights
The 2025 lineup crossed pop, R&B, country, classic rock, Broadway, international music and dance. Because the official announcement and post-event reporting did not present exactly the same list, the performances below are best understood as notable highlights rather than a complete televised running order.
1. Cynthia Erivo opened the broadcast
Cynthia Erivo’s opening performance gave the broadcast an immediate vocal and theatrical centerpiece. Her appearance was a natural fit for viewers who watch the parade as much for Broadway-level singing as for the balloons and floats.
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2. HUNTR/X brought KPop Demon Hunters to the parade
The most distinctive pop-culture booking was the daytime parade debut of EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami, the singing voices of HUNTR/X from Netflix’s animated film KPop Demon Hunters.
The appearance connected a streaming-era animated hit with one of the oldest live television traditions in the United States. AP’s post-event coverage confirmed that the trio performed in the completed 2025 parade, making this more than a pre-event announcement or proposed booking.
3. Broadway performances concentrated at Herald Square
Broadway was represented by Buena Vista Social Club, Just in Time and Ragtime. Their appearances gave the parade a concentrated theater segment, with performances staged in the Herald Square portion of the route rather than spread randomly across the procession.
For viewers who prefer cast recordings, vocal performances and theatrical staging to contemporary pop promotion, this was one of the strongest parts of the 2025 program.
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4. The Rockettes marked a major anniversary
The Radio City Rockettes appeared during the year of their 100th anniversary. Their inclusion linked the current parade with New York’s established holiday-performance tradition and supplied one of the event’s most recognizable dance moments.
5. Legacy acts added broad audience appeal
The announced lineup included several artists with long-running catalog appeal: Foreigner, Kool & the Gang, Darlene Love, Debbie Gibson and Jewel. These acts helped the parade serve its unusually broad family audience, where parents and grandparents may be watching alongside younger viewers.
Debbie Gibson also appeared on The Counting Sheep’s Dream Generator float, according to the official float details, while Shaggy performed on the Jennie-O Big Turkey Spectacular.
6. Contemporary, country and international performers widened the lineup
The broader group of announced or later confirmed artists included Ciara, Busta Rhymes, Lil Jon, Teyana Taylor, Lainey Wilson, Luísa Sonza, Calum Scott, Lauren Spencer Smith, Mickey Guyton, Gavin DeGraw, Colbie Caillat, Matteo Bocelli, Shaggy, Taylor Momsen, Tiler Peck, Roman Mejia, Christopher Jackson, Meg Donnelly, Drew Baldridge and Mr. Fantasy.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallLainey Wilson performed in front of Macy’s Herald Square flagship, and AP’s post-event report also identified Conan Gray among the performers. The mix of country, pop, hip-hop, R&B and international artists was one reason the 2025 parade did not feel limited to a single musical format.
New balloons, balloonicles and floats
The 2025 parade’s production scale included:
- More than 5,000 volunteers
- 32 balloons
- Three balloonicles
- 27 floats
- Four specialty units
- 33 clown groups
- 11 marching bands
New featured character balloons included:
- Buzz Lightyear
- PAC-MAN
- Shrek’s Onion Carriage
- Mario
Derpy Tiger and Sussie from KPop Demon Hunters appeared in smaller balloon and balloonicle formats. AP’s event coverage confirmed that Buzz Lightyear and PAC-MAN were visible in the New York sky, while LEGO and Labubu appeared in parade floats.
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Notable new floats
- The Land of Glaciers by Holland America Line
- Brick-tastic Winter Mountain by LEGO
- Master Chocolatier Ballroom by Lindt
- Upside Down Invasion: Stranger Things by Netflix
- Friends-giving in POPCITY by Pop Mart
- The Counting Sheep’s Dream Generator by Serta
These additions made the 2025 visual lineup especially recognizable for viewers interested in film, games, toys, food brands and internet-popular characters. The parade’s appeal was not only the scale of the balloons; it was also the way each float created a short, highly branded scene for the television cameras.
Parade souvenirs and collectibles
For collectors
Macy’s documented a 2025 parade merchandise collection that included dated ornaments, including glass carousel, glass hat and glass elf designs. A Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade ornament can be a more meaningful souvenir than generic holiday merchandise because it identifies the specific parade year.
Availability changes quickly, and an exact Amazon listing, seller, price and current stock status were not verified here. Check the product details carefully before buying, especially if the listing claims to be a dated 2025 item. Macy’s also documented coloring and activity products, apparel and other parade merchandise for families and collectors.
What happened after the 2025 parade?
The 2025 edition was the parade’s 99th. It also served as the lead-in to Macy’s planned 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2026. That milestone explains the emphasis on heritage attractions such as the Rockettes alongside newer characters and entertainment properties.
For historical reference, the most reliable distinction is:
- What was scheduled: the official Macy’s and Peacock announcements described the planned lineup, broadcast and production scale.
- What was seen: post-event reporting confirmed specific appearances, including HUNTR/X, Buzz Lightyear, PAC-MAN and other highlights.
- What is available now: streaming and merchandise pages can change after the event. Peacock’s current event page does not indicate that the 2025 parade is currently available to watch on demand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time did the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade start in 2025?
The 2025 parade began at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 27, in all U.S. time zones. NBC scheduled an encore for 2 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time.
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Where could viewers watch the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
NBC carried the English-language broadcast, Peacock streamed it live, and Telemundo offered a Spanish-language simulcast. The parade’s current Peacock event page says the 2025 event is not presently available on demand.
Who performed at the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Notable performers included Cynthia Erivo, HUNTR/X vocalists EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami, Broadway casts from Buena Vista Social Club, Just in Time and Ragtime, the Radio City Rockettes, Foreigner, Kool & the Gang, Darlene Love, Debbie Gibson, Jewel, Ciara, Busta Rhymes, Lil Jon, Teyana Taylor, Lainey Wilson and others.
What new balloons appeared in the 2025 parade?
New character balloons and related units included Buzz Lightyear, PAC-MAN, Shrek’s Onion Carriage, Mario, Derpy Tiger and Sussie from KPop Demon Hunters. The event also introduced floats tied to LEGO, Lindt, Netflix’s Stranger Things, Pop Mart, Serta and Holland America Line.
Was the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade the 100th parade?
No. The 2025 event was the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Macy’s planned its 100th parade for 2026.
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Bottom line: The 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade aired on November 27 at 8:30 a.m. on NBC, with live streaming on Peacock and a Spanish-language simulcast on Telemundo. Its standout moments were Cynthia Erivo’s opening, HUNTR/X from KPop Demon Hunters, Broadway performances, the Rockettes’ anniversary appearance and new balloons including Buzz Lightyear and PAC-MAN. The event is now historical, and its Peacock replay is not currently available according to the current event page.
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