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File photo: Revelers take part in the 96th-annual Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 24, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
UPDATE: The parade re-airs on NBC and Peacock at 2 p.m. ET.
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade annual tradition of bringing high-flying balloons, colorful floats, and dazzling performances to New York City is set for Thursday, Nov. 23.
This year will be the 97th edition of the popular parade and it will be starting a half hour earlier. Instead of the normal 9 a.m. ET start time, the floats will start rolling at 8:30 a.m. this year.
This year's parade will include 16 featured character balloons, 26 floats, 32 heritage and novelty balloons, more than 700 clowns, 12 marching bands, nine performance groups and more than 5,000 volunteers.
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When is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in 2023?
The 97th edition of the parade will be on Thursday, Nov. 23.
What time does the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade start?
The parade starts a half hour earlier than past years and will begin at 8:30 a.m. ET with the sound of the traditionally phrase "5, 4, 3, 2, 1... Let's have a parade!" The parade will run until noon ET.
Where can I watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?
The parade will air live on NBC and be simulcast on Peacock in English. A Spanish simulcast will air on Telemundo.
NBC New York got a first look at the new Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade floats ahead of the big event on Thursday, Nov. 23.
If I missed the parade live, will it re-air?
An encore airing of the parade will run at 2 p.m. on NBC (following the National Dog Show).
What balloons will be in the parade this year?
Among the balloons this year will be: Beagle Scout Snoopy; Kung Fu Panda's Po; the Pillsbury Doughboy; Chase from Paw Patrol; Pikachu and Eevee; SpongeBob Squarepants; Stuart The Minion; and Ronald McDonald.
Seven new featured balloons will make their debut in 2023.
Balloons were first introduced in 1927 in the parade, according to Macy's.
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A Felix the Cat balloon - the first character balloon featured in a Macy's Thanksgiving parade - and other parade floats and balloons are led down Broadway during the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1927.
AP Images
A large outdoor float of Captain Nemo makes its way down the street during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City on Nov. 28, 1929.
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A not-too-ferocious dragon caught the fancy of the crowd at Macy's 1931 Thanksgiving Day Parade.
A scene from the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade along Broadway in New York City on Nov. 30, 1933.
AP
Superman rises over Times Square to lead the 1940 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
AP
A teddy bear float - one of several earliest floats that came to define New York in November - makes its way down Times Square during the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 23, 1945. It's the first parade since the festivities were suspended with the war in 1941.
John Rooney/AP
Harold the Fireman makes his way through Broadway in the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, Nov. 25, 1948. The Thanksgiving Day Parade grew in 80 years to entertain millions annually along the streets of New York City.
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Members of the Radio City Music Hall's Rockettes perform in the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York on Nov. 27, 1958. Police reportedly estimated more than 1.2 million people watched the parade that year.
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Popeyes floats above some of the 1,300,000 parade-goers watching the 33rd Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 26, 1959.
AP
Comedian Jimmy Durante rides on a Jumbo the elephant float during the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City on Nov. 22, 1962.
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Announcer Joe Garagiola reports during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1970.
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Miss America Vanessa Williams joins two members of the 1983 McDonald's All-American High School Band in New York, Nov. 22, 1983, in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
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Dancers perform in front of Macy's & Co. during the 1983 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
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The Pink Panther, a new addition to the cast of balloon characters in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, floats above Broadway in New York City, Thursday, Nov. 24, 1988.
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Handlers pull Betty Boop past Macy's flagship department store, with the Empire State Building in the background, during the 69th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, Nov. 23, 1995.
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A giant balloon of Bart Simpson floats in the air at the 69th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Nov. 23, 1995, in New York City.
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It's an appealing group effort. Parade participants dressed as bananas during the 1996 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
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Spectators line the route to watch the 1997 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
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Jeeves from search engine service Ask Jeeves floats down the streets of Manhattan during the 2000 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
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The Radio City Rockettes, holiday favorites for New Yorkers and visitors, perform at the 76th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in Herald Square, Nov. 28, 2002, in New York City.
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Spongebob Squarepants floats alongside New York's Columbus Circle during Macy's Thanksgiving Parade on Nov. 24, 2005.
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The Energizer Bunny float balloon as seen at the 81st Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Nov. 22, 2007.
Ali Goldstein/NBCU Photo Bank
A band performs in front of Macy's flagship department store in New York City during the 2009 parade.
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The Pillsbury Doughboy hovers high above Manhattan during the 83rd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on Nov. 26, 2009, in New York City.
Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
Nickelodeon's Victoria Justice rides down Broadway on The Build-a-Bear Float for the 84th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 25, 2010, in New York City.
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Nickelodeon
The SpongeBob SquarePants balloon makes its way through the streets of Manhattan during the 85th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 24, 2011, in New York City.
Desiree Navarro/Getty Images
A float of Santa Claus appears for the 86th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 22, 2012, in New York City.
John Minchillo/AP
A giant Buzz Lightyear balloon march down Sixth Avenue during the 87th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2013, in New York, New York.
AP
The red ranger makes his first appearance along Central Park West during Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2014, in New York.
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
Balloons of Jake and Finn from popular animated show "Adventure Time" float through the parade route during the 89th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 26, 2015, in New York City.
Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images
Spectators gather during the 90th Macy's Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 24, 2016, in New York City. Security was tight in New York City after ISIS called for supporters to use rented trucks in attacks - similar as the ones operated in France where at least 86 people were killed.
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Pikachu floats down Central Park West during the 91st Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 23, 2017, in New York City.
Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP
Tom Turkey headlines the 92nd Macy's Thanksgiving Parade once more, Thursday, Nov. 22, 2018, in New York City.
What floats will be in the Thanksgiving Day parade?
Among the returning floats are: Camp Snoopy by Peanuts; 1-2-3 Sesame Street; Pinkfong Baby Shark; Geoffrey's Dazzling Dance Party by Toys"R"Us; Tom Turkey; and of course, Santa Claus.
Some of the celebrity guests on floats include: U.S. Olympic silver medalist Jordan Chiles; David Foster and Katharine McPhee; Jessie James Decker; U.S. Paralympic gold medalist Jessica Long; Mickey and Minnie Mouse; Ashley Park; the cast of Sesame Street; and Miss America 2023 Grace Stanke.
What Broadway shows will be performing for the parade?
Actors from a number of Broadway shows, including “& Juliet,” “Back to the Future: The Musical,” “How To Dance In Ohio,” “Shucked,” and “Spamalot," will perform during the parade.
The Radio City Rockettes will also be performing.
"Gutenberg! The Musical!" stars Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells will appears as special correspondents during the parade.
