Macy's 100th Thanksgiving Day Parade Steps Off in Manhattan, NYC, Nov. 26

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade reaches a milestone this year: the 100th edition steps off Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. In Manhattan, the route runs down 6th Avenue, according to Secret NYC. NBC and Peacock will broadcast it from 8:30 a.m. in all time zones, with coverage running until noon ET.

The parade began in 1924 as the Macy's Christmas Parade, not a Thanksgiving event. It picked up its current name in 1934, after going national on radio in 1932. The first telecast on NBC came in 1939. Santa still closes the show each year.

For the centennial, Macy's is flying a record 100 inflatables, mixing legacy characters with new ones. Felix the Cat, the first character balloon ever in the parade, is part of the lineup. Time Out reports that a Hogwarts-inspired float tied to HBO's upcoming Harry Potter series will make the franchise's first appearance in the parade.

For Japanese readers, the notable return is Sanrio's Hello Kitty, absent since 2017. She comes back after nine years as an all-new balloon holding a red apple, a nod to New York's "Big Apple" nickname, according to Parade. Sanrio and Macy's have also made a 23-piece Hello Kitty and Friends collection of apparel, accessories and home goods. Items are on Macys.com, and the collection began arriving in select Macy's stores on Oct. 15, including the Herald Square flagship in New York.

Macy's is also selling limited-edition centennial products with brands including Michael Kors, Levi's and Disney, with some items on Macys.com.

(Details are drawn from points that agree across reports by Secret NYC, AOL (Better Homes & Gardens), AOL (Parade).)