A star-studded mix of pop icons, Broadway casts, K-pop phenoms and holiday-classic favorites is marching straight into Thanksgiving morning. Consider your coffee stirred by a drumline: the 99th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade rolls out Thursday, November 27 at 8:30am and the talent list is stacked like a float full of stuffed animals. Big pop names, Broadway casts, a YouTube hot-sauce interrogator, Olympic-level skaters and the Rockettes will all clock in before you've carved the first crescent of pie.
Standing 16 feet tall, the mischievous Labubu and its pink-haired pal Mokoko will appear as fuzzy inflatable sculptures-the first of their kind ever created for a Macy's float-leading a cast of Pop Mart favorites including Skullpanda, Molly, Dimoo, Peach Riot and Duckoo. Together, they'll join the parade's usual mix of larger-than-life balloons, marching bands and celebrities as millions tune in to watch from home on November 27.
Titled "Upside Down Invasion: Stranger Things," the float injects a dose of eerie dimension-hopping drama into the lineup of Broadway casts, giant balloons and high-kicking marching bands. Netflix says the installation will "thrill audiences on the streets of New York and across America as a demogorgon creates chaos along the parade route." Consider it a festive reminder that sometimes you need more than stuffing and a stretchy waistband. You might also need telekinesis.
Nintendo released a 3D model of what the balloon will look like, and yep, that's Mario. The real thing will be 51 feet long, 37 feet wide, and nearly 44 feet tall. He's wearing his iconic blue overalls and well-known red cap. His body is positioned in such a way to be a callback to Super Mario Galaxy. Nintendo is doing this in 2025 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the original Super Mario Bros. game, which launched in Japan back in 1985.