Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Lights Up New York with Buzz Lightyear, Pac-Man and Mario Balloons

27 November 2025

Confetti fills the air as the Tom Turkey float starts its way down Central Park West during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin)

The 99th edition of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade rolled through Manhattan on November 27, 2025, offering New Yorkers a dazzling spectacle that blended nostalgia, pop-culture icons, and holiday cheer. Giant helium balloons including familiar faces like Buzz Lightyear, Pac-Man, and Mario, soared above the city’s holiday-season skyline, while floats, performance troupes and marching bands carried the celebration from the Upper West Side to Herald Square.

The show drew a dedicated crowd, braving chilly weather and gusty winds as families, fans and first-time visitors gathered along Central Park West, Sixth Avenue and the parade route. Despite forecasts warning of strong winds, a factor that could force adjustments to the iconic balloons, the festivities went ahead with much of the spectacle intact. Balloon handlers kept many of the larger floats flying lower as a safety measure, a reminder of how carefully this beloved tradition balances grandeur with responsibility.

Long before the parade even set off, New Yorkers had started lining the streets as early as Wednesday evening to watch the balloons being inflated sometimes hours in advance of the official start. That expansion of the spectacle beyond the parade itself helped spread anticipation across neighborhoods and communities, turning the event into a multi-day celebration for many.

This year’s lineup wasn’t just about nostalgia. The roster included new floats and balloons inspired by contemporary pop-culture and recent global media hits, a sign that the parade continues evolving to reflect changing tastes and generations. Alongside the classics came new faces and fresh energy, a mix that seemed to resonate across age groups.

Performers too played a big role. Marching bands, theatrical performers, and musical acts added rhythm and flair as thousands watched from the sidewalks and millions more tuned in via broadcast. The annual arrival of the parade’s Santa Claus float signaled the official start to the broader holiday season, wrapping the event in both tradition and festive optimism.

For many attendees, the parade offered more than just spectacle. It was a moment of shared joy, community and simple wonder children gazing up in amazement, parents holding their baskets of hot cocoa, friends laughing as they snapped photos under towering balloons. In a city often defined by its hustle and bustle, the parade remains a rare pause: a chance to gather, to marvel, and to remember the kinds of small celebrations that connect people across backgrounds and generations.

As the floats faded into the distance and the crowds dispersed, one thing remained clear: like every year, the Macy’s parade has reaffirmed itself as an enduring American tradition, one that continues to evolve without losing the charm and community spirit at its core.