The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2026 steps off at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 26, in New York City, and this year is the 100th parade. The 2.5-mile route runs from West 77th Street and Central Park West to Macy’s Herald Square, viewing is free, and the parade ends around noon when Santa Claus arrives at 34th Street. Macy’s is marking the centennial with a record 100 inflatable elements, nine new giant balloons and a broadcast on NBC, Telemundo and Peacock starting at 8:30 a.m. in all time zones.
Key details
- Event: 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
- Date: Thursday, November 26, 2026 (Thanksgiving Day)
- Time: 8:30 a.m. to about noon ET
- Route: West 77th Street and Central Park West, south to Columbus Circle, east on Central Park South, south on Sixth Avenue to 34th Street, ending at Herald Square
- Admission: Free; sidewalk viewing is first come, first served, and no tickets are sold
- Balloon inflation: Wednesday, November 25, 1-6 p.m., near the American Museum of Natural History
- Watch at home: NBC and Telemundo, streaming on Peacock, from 8:30 a.m. in all time zones
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2026 route, step by step
The parade starts on the Upper West Side, beside the American Museum of Natural History, and follows the route it has used for years. From West 77th Street it travels south on Central Park West to Columbus Circle, turns east along Central Park South, then turns south on Sixth Avenue through Midtown to 34th Street, where it finishes in front of Macy’s Herald Square flagship.
Timing depends on where a spectator stands. The parade moves along Central Park West from about 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., and the lead units reach Sixth Avenue at 59th Street around 9:30 a.m. Tom Turkey, the float that traditionally opens the parade, reaches Herald Square by about 10:30 a.m., and Santa, on the final float, arrives around noon.
The 100th edition explains the scale. The parade was first held in 1924 and was cancelled from 1942 through 1944 during World War II, which is why the 100th march falls in 2026 rather than 2024. Macy’s puts the crowd at an estimated 3.5 million spectators in a typical year, and the centennial is likely to draw at the top of that range. Full lineup and last-minute details are posted on the official Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade page.
Where to watch the Macy’s parade, and where the public cannot stand
Public viewing runs along two main stretches. On Central Park West, spectators can watch from West 75th Street down to West 61st Street. On Sixth Avenue, public viewing runs from West 59th Street down to West 38th Street. Central Park West is the calmer choice, with the balloons at their freshest and a more family crowd. Sixth Avenue is the more dramatic choice, with the balloons framed between Midtown towers, but it is denser and colder.
Several stretches are closed to the public, and planning around them saves a wasted walk. There is no viewing at the start point at West 77th Street, on Central Park West between 59th and 60th Streets, along Central Park South, or around Columbus Circle. The biggest trap is the finish: Sixth Avenue between 34th and 38th Streets and 34th Street itself are the television production area, Herald Square has no public viewing, and the grandstand seats there are not sold to the public.
Arrival time decides the view. Crowds begin claiming curb space around 6 a.m., and a front-row spot generally means being in place between 5:30 and 6 a.m. A second or third row is realistic an hour later. There is no overnight camping, and spectators cannot cross the route once the parade starts, so the side of the street chosen in the morning is the side a viewer keeps.
What is new in the 100th parade: balloons, floats and bands
Nine new giant balloons headline the centennial lineup Macy’s announced on November 4. Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey leads them, 92 years after Mickey Mouse first flew in the parade in 1934. The other debuts are Joe Cool and Woodstock, Bluey, Hello Kitty, Earl the Squirrel, Buckaroo Bob the Minion, Billie Brightpaw, a new Macy’s character, the Macy’s Blueprint Stars, and a reimagined Underdog, flying for the first time since 1984.
The parade also reaches back into its own history. Felix the Cat, the first character balloon, from 1927, returns, and so does the Blue Hippopotamus, absent since 1931. Seven new floats join the lineup, including Macy’s Parade All-Stars, Tony Sarg’s Amazing Marionettes, honoring the puppeteer behind the original balloons, and Hogwarts Holiday, a Harry Potter debut. Disney Cruise Line’s Magic Meets the Seas float returns with a new performance, and ten marching bands, chosen from more than 100 applicants, include the University of Alabama’s Million Dollar Band, the Marching Illini and the UConn Marching Band.
Balloon inflation on November 25, and how to get there
For many New Yorkers the better event is the day before. On Wednesday, November 25, the giant balloons are inflated on the streets around the American Museum of Natural History, and the public can watch from 1 to 6 p.m. The line opens at noon, entry is through a security check at West 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue, and the viewing route runs along West 77th to West 81st Streets. It is free, crowded and slow-moving, and it is the closest most people ever get to a parade balloon.
On Thanksgiving morning, take the subway. Streets along the route close to traffic, and the MTA runs a Sunday schedule on Thanksgiving Day with parade-related station changes, so check MTA service updates before leaving. The B and C trains run under Central Park West, the 1 train serves the Upper West Side, and the B, D, F and M serve Sixth Avenue. Dress in layers for temperatures that can sit in the 40s at step-off, and pack light.
Visitors can build the parade into a wider Thanksgiving plan: extra Amtrak Thanksgiving trains between New York and Washington run through the holiday period, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting follows on December 2, and the Union Square Holiday Market is closed on Thanksgiving Day but reopens on Black Friday.
Frequently asked questions
What time does the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade start in 2026?
It steps off at 8:30 a.m. ET on Thursday, November 26, 2026, and ends around noon at Herald Square. The television broadcast also starts at 8:30 a.m., in every time zone.
Do you need tickets for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
No. Watching from the sidewalk along the public stretches is free and unticketed, and grandstand seats at Herald Square are not sold to the public.
How can I watch the Macy’s parade on TV or streaming?
The parade airs on NBC and Telemundo and streams on Peacock, from 8:30 a.m. in all time zones on November 26.
The practical next step is to pick a viewing stretch, Central Park West for calm or Sixth Avenue north of 38th Street for the Midtown backdrop, check the official Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade page for final details, and be in place by 6 a.m. on November 26.
