See New Macy’s Floats Debuting At This Year’s Parade

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY – The 98th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will debut seven new floats next week.

This year's parade features 17 balloons, 22 floats, 15 “novelty and heritage inflatables,” 11 marching bands, 700 clowns (!), and 5,000 volunteers. Headlining performers are actor and singer Jennifer Hudson, pop star Kylie Minogue, and Broadway icon Billy Porter.

In alphabetical order, the first new float is “Candy Cosmos,” by Haribo, which is presenting a balloon-float hybrid that alludes to the candy company’s much-loved gummy treats.

“Dora’s Fantastical Rainforest,” by Nickelodeon, is fairly self-explanatory: there is the fantastical rainforest, and there is Dora, who looms large over the the cartoon landscape, mischievous monkey included.

Captain Mickey Mouse and Captain Minnie Mouse will helm “Magic Meets the Seas,” by Disney Cruise Line, which will showcase the brand’s beloved characters – from Aladdin to Moana – and feature choreographed performances as the float chugs along the parade route.

“Wednesday’s Feast,” by Netflix, is another matter altogether. Depicting Wednesday Addams from Netflix’s “The Addams Family” with a gloomy pout, this is undoubtedly a float for the Gen Z crowd.

“Pasta Knight,” by Rao’s Homemade, may have you craving a low-effort dinner. This float presents a fantastical landscape populated by red sauce ingredients, along with a dragon and knight for good measure.

Still with us? “Strikes Again,” by Go Bowling!, an organization which promotes the sport, depicts an animatronic bowler about to roll a strike, no doubt. Watch out, idle pins, who will wander nearby.

Last but not least, a local entrant: “Wondrous World of Wildlife,” by the Bronx Zoo. In honor of the organizations 125th anniversary, the float will feature representations of the zoo’s extraordinary animals and habitats, from the African savanna to the Russian boreal forest.

The floats will soon travel from the Macy’s Parade Studio in Moonachie, New Jersey, to the Upper West Side, where they’re reassembled in advance of their big day.

A new set of floats is created by Macy’s Parade Studio every year, at a design and production facility that includes carpenters, engineers, electricians, painters, animators, balloon technicians, sculptors, metal fabricators, and scenic and costume designers.

The parade starts at 8:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning, and follows a 2.5 mile route from the Upper West Side to Herald Square in Midtown.