It’s one of our favorite Thanksgiving traditions: watching the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade at New York City. The parade has existed since 1924 and this year is the 98th edition. This will take place on Thursday, November 28, from 8:30 a.m. to noon EST.

While tens of thousands of people line up to watch the parade in person or watch the balloons explode on the Upper West Side the day before, you don’t need to go out to see some of the new balloons and floats.

TPG received a special preview.

This year’s parade includes more than 5,000 volunteers, 34 floats, 22 giant balloons, seven of what Macy’s calls “balloons,” 11 marching bands and 28 clown teams. Not to mention music stars, Broadway shows and, of course, Santa Claus, all of whom will flock from Central Park West to Macy’s home base at West 34th Street and Sixth Avenue.

Here’s what you can expect next week.

New Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Floats and Balloons

Gabby – the star of DreamWorks Animation’s wildly popular series “Gabby’s Dollhouse” – will make her parade debut this year. The Gabby balloon is painted with more than 25 colors, and a new movie featuring Gabby and her famous cat Pandy Paws will be released in 2025.

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There are several other new balloons and floats for 2024, including Spider-Man; Marshall from “Paw Patrol”; a newly designed Goku, the legendary hero of the “Dragon Ball” franchise; and Santa’s magical arctic fox, Extraordinary Noorah, joined by The Elf on the Shelf.

Here are a few more.

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Dora’s Fantasy Rainforest by Nickelodeon

Dora the Explorer is back for the first time in 15 years. “Exciting discoveries await Dora and her best friend Boots” as she returns to the parade, Macy said. “Accompanied by her reliable map and backpack, Dora is ready to navigate the tropical terrain and streets of New York while keeping her eyes and ears open for Swiper, the mischievous fox.”

Rao’s Homemade Pasta Knight

This year, a cool dragon represents the famous New York restaurant Rao’s and its brand of Rao’s Homemade pastas and sauces.

Rao’s Homemade Pasta Knight is here to slay a hungry dragon, with a backdrop designed to resemble a southern Italian village. Macy’s said it took inspiration from the origin of Rao’s homemade authentic Italian marinara sauce. Look closely and you’ll see that the knight is made up of pasta shapes like orecchiette, fusilli, and rigatoni, among others.

Wonderful world of wildlife near the Bronx Zoo

My favorite float was the Wondrous World of Wildlife entry at the Bronx Zoo right here in New York. This famous park has been attracting amazing visitors for 125 years. “From Amur tigers to western lowland gorillas to giraffes, these are just a few of the extraordinary creatures you can encounter during your next visit to the Bronx Zoo,” according to Macy’s.

Each animal on the float was designed to be the same size as its real-life counterpart. During the parade itself, Idina Menzel will perform on the float.

Magic Meets the Seas by Disney Cruise Line

The Magic Meets the Seas float Disney Cruise Line features unique design details from eight of Disney Cruise Line’s ships. Take a look at the fun character illustrations adorning the bows.

Strike again by Go Bowling

This fully kinetic “ball,” powered by an electric battery, represents the Go Bowling Bowler, who looks like an animatronic character straight out of a theme park. This is a fun new addition to the range.

Related: Your guide to must-see holiday events in New York

Wednesday Party by Netflix

They are scary and crazy, mysterious and scary. They are completely ok. It’s the Addams Family, and they’ll be represented by Wednesday and Pugsley Addams in the parade thanks to a cool float sponsored by Netflix. The Macy’s Studios team said they spent more than 100 hours meticulously sculpting the faces of the “Addams Family” characters for the parade.

Minnie Mouse

For the first time in the parade’s history, Disney’s Minnie Mouse will walk the streets of New York with her iconic polka dot bow and signature yellow pumps. Minnie is five stories tall, 60 feet tall and 60 feet long.

Cosmos candy by Haribo

Haribo makes delicious gummies, as well as cute floats and balloons. The company offers more than 25 gummie products in the market. Can you name all the types displayed on his float?

Conclusion

Hopefully our preview of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has made you want to attend it in real life at some point. We have a complete guide to everything you need to know to plan a trip and see the balloons in person.

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