It’s almost time for the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to hit the streets of midtown Manhattan.
Macy’s employees started the tradition back in 1924 with animals from the Central Park Zoo. Three years later, in 1927, the popular balloons made their debut and the rest is history. The 2.5-mile route starts at West 77th Street and Central Park West, moves south to 59th Street, then east to Sixth Avenue, then south again to finish at the Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square.
This year’s parade takes place on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025 and will feature 34 balloons, 28 floats, 11 marching bands and 28 performers from Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo to KPop Demon Hunters’ HUNTER/X.
Take a look at these photos from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade through the years.
Historic photos of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Emily Barnes reports on consumer-related issues for the USA TODAY Network’s New York Connect Team, focusing on scam and recall-related topics. Follow her on X and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Macy’s parade through the years: See iconic photos
Reporting by Emily Barnes, New York Connect Team / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
